Tag: illegal immigration

Advocacy group at heart of anti-ICE protests in LA has long raised money through ActBlue

An advocacy group at the center of the organizing efforts of the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles has long raised money through ActBlue, the controversial Democratic Party-oriented non-profit entity that is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress.

According to the social media pages of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), the group was formed in 1986 to “advance the human and civil rights of immigrants and refugees.” Its mission is to “educate, organize, and advocate.” The landing page of CHIRLA’s website solicits donations through another entity, called Funraise.

CHIRLA is nonetheless listed in ActBlue’s official directory, and ActBlue facilitates donations to CHIRLA. The far-left, pro-immigrant charity’s latest IRS 990 filing for 2023 shows that CHIRLA had revenue of close to $45 million, and expenses of just over $20 million. Their tax filing does not disclose donors’ names, nor any specific amount that ActBlue channeled to CHIRLA.

Three days of protests

The charity’s IRS filings self-described their mission as to “promote harmonious multi-ethnic human relations.” Dozens have been arrested after violent clashes with ICE agents attempting to locate illegal immigrants. L.A.ist, a local magazine, published an Associated Press newsphoto of a masked man using a Mexican flag to assault police officers.

“If you see ICE in LA, don’t stay silent. Report it to the LA Rapid Response Network,” read a post from CHIRLA on Sunday.

The three days of demonstrations saw more than 6,000 people take over the streets of downtown Los Angeles, and on Sunday the NBC-owned KNBC reported that at least 2,000 people are estimated to have taken over the 101 Freeway northbound, shutting it down and forcing traffic to come to a standstill.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California.”

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“What Are You Going to Do? Shoot Some Kids?” – Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters Taunts National Guard Troops in Downtown Los Angeles

Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters arrived in downtown Los Angeles amid the violent anti-ICE protests on Sunday to stir up trouble.

Maxine Waters fanned the flames and taunted National Guard troops who were called in to quell the riots.

President Trump sent 2,000 troops to downtown Los Angeles on Saturday after California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom refused to act.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced he will mobilize Active Duty Marines from Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego to stop the violence.

On Sunday it was revealed elements of the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the California National Guard was deployed to downtown Los Angeles.

The National Guard troops arrived after rioters launched explosives at a federal detention facility in downtown LA.

Maxine Waters lashed out at the National Guard troops and asked them if they are going to “shoot some kids.”

“Why do you have guns? What are you going to do? Shoot some kids?” Maxine Waters said to the National Guard troops.

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REPORT: Evidence Suggests LA “Riots” Over ICE Raids Could Be Government‑Funded

What began as a so-called “spontaneous protest” against ICE enforcement operations in Los Angeles has now been exposed as something far more insidious: a well-funded, coordinated riot, with ties to radical left-wing organizations, government-backed NGOs, and even a billionaire known for pushing Chinese Communist propaganda.

According to a damning exposé by investigative account @DataRepublican, several nonprofit organizations and shadowy political fronts played a pivotal role in igniting the chaos that saw federal officers attacked, flags burned, and city streets blocked.

But what’s more alarming: tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money may have indirectly fueled the unrest.

At the center of the funding web is CHIRLA—the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights. Documents reveal the group saw a shocking jump from $12 million to $34 million in government grants in just one year.

While most of that is believed to come from the State of California, the group has received federal funding as well.

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Some LA migrant protests fueled by taxpayer-funded group with Dem ties — another with CCP link

One of the groups leading anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles is a taxpayer-funded activist organization with ties to the Democratic Party, while another has links to the Chinese Communist Party.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) — which received tens of millions of dollars in government grants during the Biden administration — staged a rally last week to denounce Immigration and Customs Enforcement arresting illegal migrants across the city, including those convicted of heinous crimes.

Protests against ICE have escalated since then, with more than 1,000 rioters taking to the streets, assaulting immigration officers, slashing tires and defacing public buildings, the Department of Homeland Security said, prompting President Trump to call in around 2,000 National Guard troops Sunday to quell the violence.

According to financial records obtained by DataRepublican, CHIRLA received nearly $34 million in government grants, mostly from the state of California, in the fiscal year ending June 2023, a jump from the $12 million it received the previous year.

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DACA Recipient Imprisoned in U.S. for Purchasing Guns for Mexican Cartels

A Mexican national under the DACA program has received a significant prison sentence for his involvement in a firearms trafficking scheme. Mario Elier Leal, 22, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for leading a straw purchasing ring supplying weapons to Mexican cartels. The sentencing took place in McAllen, Texas, overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.

Leal had pleaded guilty to the charges in 2024, admitting his role in the illegal operation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office detailed that Leal will face deportation proceedings after serving his sentence, as he is not a U.S. citizen. His status under DACA allowed him to remain in the U.S. despite being brought in as a child illegally.

Prosecutors revealed Leal recruited individuals to purchase AK-47-type rifles, which were then smuggled into Mexico. At the time of his arrest, authorities seized three rifles acquired through two young Americans legally able to buy firearms in Texas. Although the court documents did not specify which cartel received the guns, the Gulf Cartel controls the area south of McAllen.

Leal confessed to paying $300 to each participant who bought guns for him, exploiting a loophole in U.S. laws that barred him from purchasing them himself. Federal officials suspect that at least 13 additional weapons were either purchased or in the process of being obtained for Leal. This case highlights the ongoing challenges of gun trafficking across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The connection to the Gulf Cartel, though not explicitly stated, raises concerns about the porous nature of the border in terms of illegal arms smuggling. The Gulf Cartel has long been a dominant force in the region, and activities like Leal’s only serve to strengthen their grip. Authorities are keen to reinforce the legal measures that prevent such trafficking.

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Kamala Harris Sides with the Violent Mob, Condones Riots as Thugs Burn Cars, Block Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles

We sure dodged a bullet.

Failed presidential hopeful Kamala Harris released a statement on the ongoing Los Angeles riots on Sunday evening.

Rather than calling for the anti-ICE rioters to stop defacing property, assaulting police and federal agents and blocking the freeway, Kamala Harris condoned the violence.

Rioters are carrying Mexican flags as they burn down cars.

Anti-ICE illegals threw projectiles at law enforcement officers.

Later Sunday the rioters took over the 101 freeway at exit 2/A/Union Station (Alameda Street) in downtown LA.

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Cory Booker on LA Riots: “We See Peaceful Protests”; Smears Trump Supporters as “Cop Killers” 

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) appeared on Meet the Press Sunday morning where he called the illegal immigration riots in Los Angeles “peaceful protests” and smeared Trump supporters as “cop killers” over police deaths that occurred after the January 6 Capitol riot.

The only person confirmed to have been killed as a direct result of violence on January 6, 2021, was unarmed Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt who was shot and killed by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd inside the Capitol.

Booker was interviewed by host Kristen Welker (transcript excerpt):

KRISTEN WELKER:

Welcome back. Joining me now is Democratic senator from New Jersey, Cory Booker. Senator Booker, welcome back to Meet The Press.

SEN. CORY BOOKER:

Thanks so much. Good morning to you.

KRISTEN WELKER:

Good morning to you. Thank you for being here. I do have to start with President Trump saying he plans to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles to deal with the protesters there. The president bypassing the governor and federalizing the Guard himself. He says he did so because Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass refused to act against the unrest. What is your response to President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard?

Look, since years before I was born, law enforcement knows it’s good when there’s cooperation and coordination. For the president to do this when it wasn’t requested, breaking with generations of tradition, is only going to incite the situation and make things worse. We are now at a point where we have a president who sat back and did nothing as people stormed our Capitol, viciously beat police. And then when those people who viciously beat police and led to some of their deaths, therefore, cop killers, were convicted by juries, he then pardoned them all. So for him to be talking to anybody right now about responsive law enforcement to protect people is hypocritical at best.

KRISTEN WELKER:

But–

SEN. CORY BOOKER:

The reality is we see peaceful protests launching in Los Angeles. And again, any violence against police officers should not be accepted. Local authorities can handle that. But remember, a lot of these peaceful protests are being generated because the president of the United States is sowing chaos and confusion by arresting people who are showing up for their immigration hearings, who are trying to abide by the law. He’s arresting them. You see this in communities that are Republican, Trump supporters being outraged that he’s raiding kitchens and arresting people, high schools and arresting people, who are not what he said he would do, which is focus law enforcement resources on violent criminals and people that are a danger to other Americans.

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Trump Federalizes California National Guard as Violent Leftist Mobs Lay Siege to ICE Agents — Bypassing Democrat Governor

After weeks of escalating leftist violence against federal immigration agents that culminated in over 1,000 rioters laying siege to federal buildings and assaulting ICE officers, President Trump took the extraordinary step of federalizing 2,000 California National Guard troops, marking the first time since 1965 that a president has activated a state’s National Guard without the governor’s consent.

Using rarely invoked federal powers under 10 U.S.C. 12406, Trump bypassed the authority of California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom after violent mobs launched coordinated attacks on ICE agents and laid siege to federal buildings across the state.

The president’s directive cites a specific provision within Title 10 of the U.S. Code that allows federal deployment of National Guard forces when “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

Trump’s order states that “to the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon was “mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY” and revealed that active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton, about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, were “on high alert” and could also be mobilized.

Trump’s directive specifically authorized Hegseth to “employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property,” indicating the administration is prepared to use whatever force necessary to restore federal authority.

The violent confrontations have spread beyond Los Angeles, with Minneapolis seeing protesters throw traffic cones and trash cans at federal law enforcement vehicles during an ICE operation at Las Cuatro Milpas restaurant.

The area, which was previously the site of violent riots following George Floyd’s death of a fentanyl overdose, again became a flashpoint as demonstrators physically obstructed federal vehicles and shouted at officers to “go home” and “quit their jobs.”

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez joined the violent protesters, declaring the federal operation “completely wrong” and criticizing local police for assisting ICE agents in their lawful duties.

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‘I Smell CIA/Deep State All Over This’ — RFK Jr. VP Nicole Shanahan Blasts Sanctuary Cities, Says Violent Migrants Are Being Used to Attack Federal Law Enforcement

What began as a lawful operation turned into outright insurrection in the so‑called sanctuary city of Los Angeles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted multiple strikes Friday — targeting a Home Depot, fashion warehouses, clothing outlets in downtown L.A., and a meat‑packing plant in Paramount — arresting deportable illegal aliens, including some with criminal records.

The result? Large crowds descended, blocking lanes, hurling bricks and chunks of concrete, setting trash fires, smearing graffiti on federal buildings, and assaulting federal vehicles.

According to Fox News reporter Bill Melugin:

Federal sources ID some of the criminal illegal alien targets ICE arrested in their LA operation yesterday & today, which sparked violent protests. They include multiple gang members, convicted sex offenders, violent gun offenders, & drug offenders. One has already been deported. They include:

Rolando Veneracion-Enriquez, a national of the Philippines who has prior convictions for sexual penetration with a foreign object, assault with intent to commit rape, and burglary, all in California.

ARMANDO ORDAZ, a Mexican national & known gang member with a convictions for sexual battery, receiving stolen property, and theft in Los Angeles.

VICTOR MENDOZA-AGUILAR, a previously deported Mexican national & known gang member with convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, and possessing drug paraphernalia.

DELFINO AGUILAR MARTINEZ, a Mexican national with a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury in LA.

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Texas Yanks Major Perk From Illegal Aliens – After Pioneering It 24 Years Ago

Twenty-four years after being the first in the nation to roll it out, a major perk for illegal aliens in Texas has vanished after the Trump administration filed a federal lawsuit to stop it and the Lone Star State’s attorney general quickly agreed with the White House stance. Specifically, illegals will no longer be charged the in-state rate for college tuition.  

The end came quite suddenly. Within hours of the US Department of Justice filing a complaint in the Northern District of Texas, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a motion asking Judge Reed O’Connor to rule in favor of the DOJ and declare in-state tuition for illegals unconstitutional. On the same day, O’Connor issued an order declaring that discounts favoring illegal aliens over non-Texan American citizens — in contradiction of federal law — violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, and permanently blocking Texas from giving such discounts.

Paxton, who’s mounting a 2026 challenge of incumbent Republican John Cornyn to represent Texas in the United States Senate, raced to take credit for the outcome: 

“Today, I entered a joint motion along with the Trump Administration opposing a law that unconstitutionally and unlawfully gave benefits to illegal aliens that were not available to American citizens. Ending this discriminatory and un-American provision is a major victory for Texas.” 

In 2001, Texas became the first state to offer in-state tuition to illegals. Back then, Democrats had a slim majority in the state House, but the “Texas Dream Act” had bipartisan support, with only four of 181 legislators voting against it. Republicans bought into the idea that better-educated illegals would bolster the state’s labor force and its economy, and then-Governor Rick Perry gave full support — a stance he had to defend at a Republican debate during his failed 2012 presidential campaign. While this clip stops short, the audience answered with a mix of vigorous applause and hearty boos.

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