ICE planning large immigration raid in LA, leaked memo says

LOS ANGELES - A "large scale" immigration raid is expected to happen in Los Angeles by the end of February, according to an internal government document reviewed by the LA Times. 

The publication reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will lead the operation and focus on those without legal status in the U.S. and those who have pending orders of removal. A federal law enforcement official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the operation as requiring "more bodies," which led to the unprecedented multi-agency partnership.

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The document was reportedly circulated among some government officials last week. 

The Times also reported that a federal law enforcement source said LA FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration officers and agents are being called in to assist. 

Following the LA Times report, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called out the "corrupt" FBI and appeared to accuse the bureau of leaking plans for the alleged raid.

"The FBI is so corrupt," Noem wrote. "We will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law."

ICE sources told Fox News they do not know where Noem got the information or what she is basing it on.

Los Angeles County is home to more than 800,000 undocumented residents, according to USC’s Equity Research Institute.

Immigration crackdown

ICE agents began targeting major sanctuary cities immediately after Trump's inauguration Monday, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. The following day, Trump lifted longtime guidelines that restricted ICE from operating at "sensitive locations" such as schools, churches or hospitals.

ICE’s Enforcement Removal Operations in LA has posted regularly on social media about people they've arrested, including an alleged Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang member and a Mexican national convicted of "lewd or lascivious acts" with a minor.

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Other federal agencies have been assisting ICE since last month, including the DEA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The DEA LA has also shared pictures and information of arrests made in connection with the immigration crackdown. 

Last week, the DEA posted on X officers had arrested a Taiwanese man who according to Taiwan National Police is a "child predator with DUI offenses that killed two."

"When asked to support immigration enforcement actions, we will review the capabilities and shift resources as necessary to provide support," Matthew Allen, who leads the agency's Los Angeles office, said in a statement.

Nationwide protests 

Protests and demonstrations opposing the president's immigration policies have taken place across the U.S. 

In Los Angeles, protesters gathered in downtown LA, Riverside, Santa Ana, San Diego, and other major cities for several days in a row to show their support for keeping California safe for immigrants.

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This includes protests in downtown LA for six days in a row, with people blocking traffic on busy freeways and major intersections. Students across the region staged multiple days of walkouts in support of immigrant rights.

According to Reuters, despite Trump's strong stance on immigration and deportations, his first presidential administration saw fewer people deported than during the term of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama. More people were deported under President Joe Biden in 2024 than during any single year of Trump's first presidency.