Federal immigration officers arrested dozens of dangerous criminal aliens in Los Angeles on Friday, including murderers, rapists, and violent felons.
The arrests were made during a targeted enforcement operation that met with violent riots and chaos.
ICE agents conducted arrests across several business locations, including Home Depot stores and a downtown doughnut shop.
They detained 45 illegal immigrants, many with serious convictions like murder, rape, child cruelty, and armed assault.
The arrested illegal alien criminals were described by law enforcement as the “worst of the worst.”
Yet instead of applauding law enforcement, leftist rioters clashed with ICE, forcing authorities to deploy flashbangs to clear the area.
“These rioters are fighting to keep rapists and murderers on LA streets,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
“They should be thanking ICE.”
Among those arrested was Cuong Chanh Phan, convicted of murdering two teenagers at a graduation party, along with others convicted of sex crimes, weapons charges, and drug trafficking.
ICE emphasized that these individuals were not low-level offenders, but repeat violent criminals who had illegally re-entered or remained in the U.S.
The agency’s actions drew a sharp contrast with California officials, who have openly resisted federal immigration enforcement.
“Why do Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass care more about protecting violent criminals than their own law-abiding citizens?” McLaughlin asked.
Critics say that these kinds of offenders are shielded by California’s soft-on-crime policies.
Among the worst illegal aliens captured were:
• Cuong Chanh Phan, a Vietnamese national convicted of second-degree murder after opening fire at a high school graduation, killing two teens.
• Rolando Veneracion-Enriquez, from the Philippines, convicted of rape and burglary.
• Lionel Sanchez-Laguna, a Mexican national, with charges including assault with a semi-automatic firearm, child cruelty, and domestic battery.
Additional arrests included illegal immigrants with histories of sexual battery, grand theft, weapons possession, narcotics distribution, and violent assault.
Despite the severity of these crimes, Los Angeles rioters clashed with ICE officers.
The mobs of leftists were apparently siding with criminal aliens over public safety.
“These aren’t non-violent immigrants — these are convicted predators,” said a DHS official.
“ICE is doing what California won’t.”
Critics of California’s sanctuary policies say these arrests highlight a growing divide between federal law enforcement’s duty to protect and local leaders who refuse to cooperate.
Friday’s operation serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of sanctuary city policies.
Opponents argue that these policies shield violent offenders from accountability.
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