While pro-illegal immigration protests broke out in both California and Texas this past week, the state that has agreements to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has fared far better.
Through ICE’s 287(g) program agreement, ICE delegates to partner state and local law enforcement agencies and their officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight.
In Texas, local law enforcement agencies have signed nearly one hundred (95) agreements with ICE, while those in California – a self-declared “sanctuary” state for illegal immigrants – have none.
Anti-ICE protests broke out in Los Angeles, California on Friday and in Dallas, Texas on Monday. In Los Angeles, the protests turned violent and continued. In Dallas, they did not.
Los Angeles Protest
California has no agreements with ICE, meaning local law enforcement officers lack ICE-delegated authority. Protests of seven ICE locations in Los Angeles began on Friday and have continued through Tuesday.
By Saturday, the situation escalated to the point that an estimated 1,000 protesters approached an ICE detention facility and began throwing objects at ICE agents. Some in the mob set cars on fire and started additional fires. Looting ensued.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was not asked to assist by the city. And, while ICE labeled the event a riot, the Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement calling the protest “peaceful.”
Governor Gavin Newsom’s inaction, paired with further escalation of the protest to riot proportions, prompted President Trump to deploy 2,000 of California’s National Guard troops. On Saturday, 29 arrests were made as the conflict intensified, with rubber bullets and flash-bangs employed. Gov. Newsom has sued, thus far unsuccessfully, to have the National Guard troops removed.
By Sunday, peaceful looting began by targeting a FOX News vehicle, and a continuation of violence and fires. The peaceful protesting intensified on Monday with over 114 arrests, followed by 197 arrests on Tuesday. Additionally, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass implemented a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. after declaring a local emergency, which is expected to last for several days.
In all, there have been more than four hundred arrests during the first five days of the protest, with nearly half of them being made on Tuesday, leaving law enforcement to brace for Wednesday night’s activities.
Dallas Protest
While Dallas County does not yet have an agreement with ICE, neighboring Tarrant, Rockwall, Hood, and Parker counties do. And, Dallas’ new Police Chief Daniel Comeaux stated that the Dallas Police Department will assist ICE. if asked.
The Dallas protest began on Monday and ended by 11 p.m. that same day. All chaos was immediately snuffed out and limited to graffiti and small fights, resulting in only one arrest as of Tuesday. No major damage to public property or criminal charges have been reported.