The mass immigration raids launched in Los Angeles on Sunday mark yet another aggressive step in the Trump administration’s all-out war on workers and democratic rights. These operations, carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with the assistance of multiple federal law enforcement agencies, have plunged immigrant communities into fear and uncertainty. As details emerge, it becomes evident that these raids are not isolated enforcement actions but part of a broader authoritarian assault against the working class as a whole.
The raids in Los Angeles, as confirmed by multiple sources, saw ICE agents sweeping through neighborhoods, targeting individuals allegedly without legal status. Reports indicate that federal agents gathered outside homes in the early morning hours, leading activists to mobilize in response. Videos circulating on social media show protesters urging residents not to open their doors, reminding them that ICE officers require judicial warrants signed by a judge—something they rarely possess.
It remains unclear how many individuals were arrested in Sunday’s operation, but the scale of the enforcement effort suggests a significant number. In response, a coalition of 60 organizations, spearheaded by an organization named Union del Barrio (neighborhood union), has vowed to disrupt enforcement operations in Southern California. This coalition, known as the Community Self-Defense Coalition, has engaged in direct action tactics, including patrolling immigrant neighborhoods, monitoring federal agents, and staging rapid-response mobilizations to prevent arrests and detentions.
The coalition’s commitment to immediate, direct intervention reflects the gravity of the situation. Families live in fear that their loved ones will be snatched away without warning, a reality that has pushed workers, students, activists and legal advocates into action. The Los Angeles Rapid Response Network has also taken steps to counter misinformation and provide legal assistance to those targeted by immigration enforcement.
Activists from the group patrolled the city on Sunday, attempting to thwart the government’s brutal crackdown. Despite these efforts, ICE, with reinforcements from agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), executed their mission with military precision.
These raids follow Trump’s explicit demand for a harsher approach to immigration enforcement. His administration’s frustration with what it perceives as “weak” deportation levels led to the abrupt removal of ICE’s acting director, Caleb Vitello. In private meetings, Trump reportedly lambasted his immigration team, demanding more aggressive actions. Sunday’s raids are the result of these demands—a politically motivated escalation designed to terrorize immigrant communities and send a message of unrestrained power.
Leaked government documents have revealed that these raids were meticulously planned in advance. These documents confirm that this is not a routine enforcement effort but one of the most extensive crackdowns in Los Angeles history. The objective is to carry out mass deportations with brute force, targeting anyone deemed “unlawfully present” in the country.
A federal official admitted anonymously that the operation required “more bodies,” an acknowledgment of the sweeping nature of this mass repression. This militarized approach underscores the Trump administration’s use of immigration enforcement as a tool of terror against a vulnerable population. Beyond the immediate victims, these attacks set a precedent for escalating police-state measures against the entire working class.
Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan has openly boasted of the administration’s goal to “eradicate” what he defines as “criminal” migrants. The rhetoric about criminality is a cover for mass deportations that indiscriminately target working-class immigrants. The presence of agencies such as the ATF and DEA further reveals that this operation is not just about immigration enforcement but about consolidating authoritarian power.
Los Angeles, often touted by the Democratic Party as a “sanctuary city,” provides little real protection for immigrants. While city officials like Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly condemn Trump’s policies, their actions tell a different story. Newsom recently traveled to Washington, where he made no real effort to oppose the administration’s attacks on immigrant rights. Meanwhile, Bass has done nothing to stop ICE from operating freely in the city, instead presiding over increased police budgets and law enforcement cooperation.
The Democratic Party’s hypocrisy is on full display. While they denounce Trump’s fascistic measures in words, they fail to mount any genuine opposition. The so-called “sanctuary” policies amount to empty rhetoric, offering little tangible protection as ICE storms into communities with impunity. The Democrats’ primary concern is blocking any challenge to a collapsing political system, not defending the working class.
Trump’s escalation of immigration raids is not just about deporting undocumented individuals—it is a test run for far greater repressive measures. His administration has already laid the groundwork for an unprecedented expansion of executive power, including threats to deport U.S. citizens and detain immigrants at Guantanamo Bay.
Trump’s repeated claims that birthright citizenship is “not absolute” expose the broader implications of his immigration policy. His administration has hinted at legal maneuvers that could see even natural-born citizens deported under dubious pretexts. The erosion of these fundamental rights demonstrates that the working class as a whole—not just immigrant workers—is the true target of these attacks.
Despite the fear instilled by these raids, resistance is mounting. In Los Angeles, thousands of students and workers have taken to the streets, blocking freeways and demanding an end to mass deportations. These demonstrations highlight the growing anger among broad sections of the population who recognize that the attack on immigrants is an attack on all workers.
However, this movement must not be co-opted by the Democratic Party, which has proven itself unwilling to challenge Trump’s agenda in any meaningful way. Instead, workers and students must form independent committees in their communities, workplaces and schools to organize against these raids. These committees must serve as hubs of resistance, dedicated to educating, mobilizing and preparing for further confrontations with state repression.
The only way forward is through the building of a socialist movement dedicated to defending democratic rights and dismantling the capitalist system that perpetuates these attacks. The working class must reject both parties of the ruling elite and take matters into its own hands. The fight against Trump’s fascistic immigration policies is the fight for a world free from oppression and exploitation—a world where human rights are not sacrificed at the altar of profit and power.
The mass raids in Los Angeles must be condemned in the strongest terms. They represent a grave danger not only to immigrants but to the future of democracy itself. Only through mass mobilization, solidarity and revolutionary struggle can the working class defeat this growing authoritarian threat and forge a new path toward a promising future.