Things got heated fast in Los Angeles Friday morning after federal agents carried out a surprise immigration enforcement operation—and ended up arresting a top California union leader in the process. Now, the backlash is growing fast, and it’s drawing in everyone from union workers to the governor himself.
The Department of Homeland Security finally broke its silence hours after the operation, confirming it executed four federal search warrants at three LA locations. The targets: two clothing stores in downtown and a Home Depot in the Westlake District. The operation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the DEA.
“Approximately 44 people were administratively arrested and one arrest for obstruction. The investigation remains ongoing, updates will follow as appropriate,” an HSI spokesperson said.
That single obstruction arrest? It’s making headlines because it involved David Huerta, president of SEIU California—a union that represents more than 750,000 workers across healthcare, public service, and more.
According to U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, Huerta “deliberately obstructed” federal agents during the operation. Essayli posted a photo of Huerta in handcuffs, sitting in the back of a vehicle, along with a clip that allegedly shows the union leader briefly blocking the path of an unmarked white SUV before being pushed aside by a federal agent.
The video shows Huerta going down to the ground, surrounded by several agents as chaos unfolds between protesters and law enforcement. The moment escalated quickly, and Huerta was taken into federal custody. He is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Monday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was quick to slam the arrest, describing Huerta as “a respected leader, a patriot, and an advocate for working people.” Newsom added, “No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action.”
SEIU California later confirmed that Huerta was injured during the arrest and treated at a local hospital, though he remains in federal custody. In a statement shared through the union, Huerta said: “What happened to me is not about me; 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.”
SEIU isn’t taking the incident lightly. The union quickly rallied behind Huerta, blasting the operation and the arrest as a direct attack on those peacefully observing what was happening. On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the union posted: “ICE picked the wrong side. The wrong state. The wrong person. and the wrong union. David Huerta stood up. And 750,000 SEIU workers are standing with him.”
Whether the raid was routine or something bigger, the fallout is far from over. With powerful voices lining up on both sides and court dates ahead, this isn’t just a story about one arrest—it’s about power, protest, and who gets to decide what justice looks like.