Civil rights and labor leaders will demand the release of union leader David Huerta from federal detention at a rally set for noon Monday at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles.
Huerta was arrested Friday during an immigration enforcement action. He is due in court 1:30 p.m. at the Roybal Federal Building, also in downtown LA.
Huerta is charged with conspiracy to impede an officer, according to court documents.
Agents from the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies arrested an unknown number of people Friday. Raids occurred at Home Depot stores, Ambiance Apparel sites and other locations near downtown, prompting assemblies of protesters who clashed with authorities in multiple incidents. As the weekend progressed, protests turned increasingly violent with fires burning, cars destroyed and property damaged and defaced throughout the area.
The alleged officer obstruction by Huerta, who was among a group of protesters, occurred at the Ambiance facility at 2415 E. 15th
St., according to court documents.
The Service Employees International Union California issued a statement saying Huerta, the union’s president, was “injured and detained” during the federal raids.
“SEIU California members call for the immediate release of our president, David Huerta, who was injured and detained at the site of one of today’s ICE raids in Los Angeles,” the union’s Executive Director Tia Orr said in a statement. “He is now receiving medical attention while in custody. We are proud of President Huerta’s righteous participation as a community observer, in keeping with his long history of advocating for immigrant workers and with the highest values of our movement: standing up to injustice, regardless of personal risk or the power of those perpetrating it.”
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Los Angeles, said Huerta was taken into custody at the Roybal building.
“Huerta was Tased and brutalized for attempting to visit his union members — asylum applicants going through the immigration process legally who have been unjustly, indefinitely detained and are being held in inhumane conditions,” Kamlager-Dove said in a statement.
On Friday evening Huerta issued a statement through the union.
“What happened to me is not about me,” Huerta said. “This is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”
On Friday evening, Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X, “David Huerta is a respected leader, a patriot and an advocate for working people. No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action.”
The U.S. Homeland Security Department responded, “Shoving ICE officers is not ‘witnessing government action.’ It’s assaulting law enforcement. Governor Newsom must call on this violence to end — not glorify rioters that endanger our brave law enforcement.”
