Head of California’s Largest Labor Union Injured and Detained by HSI

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David Huerta, a citizen who is President of Service Employees International Union which is the largest labor union in California, was injured and arrested for obstruction by Homeland Security Investigations while observing their raids.

HSI served four federal search warrants in Los Angeles at two downtown cloching stores and a Westlake District Home Depot. Other agencies worked with HSI, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration. Agents were dressed, equipped and armed like soldiers going into combat.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted in X (formerly Twitter):

Federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant at a LA worksite this morning when David Huerta deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle. He was arrested for interfering with federal officers and will face arraignment in federal court on Monday. Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are—if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted. No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties.

Video of the alleged obstruction was posted online. In it, Huerta briefly stands near the front of an unmarked white SUV used in the operation. A federal agent pushes him out of the way. He falls to the ground and is surrounded by agents. This appears to be when he was arrested for obstruction. He was injured and taken to a hospital briefly for treatment but remained in custody.

He was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is not supposed to detain citizens of the USA.

The other 44 arrests were “administrative” as part of the roundup of immigrants.

Hundreds of people soon gathered outside the Los Angeles Federal Building, protesting against roundups and calling for Huerta to be released.

Around 19:00 local time, Los Angeles Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly. They ordered the crowd to disperse. At 19:30 about 50 police in riot gear and eight police vehicles moved in against protesters while other protesters farther away chanted “shame on you” at police.

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