Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum reacts to LA ICE protests

SUGGESTED COVERAGE: Families of detained warehouse workers speak out

Family members of warehouse workers detained by ICE in the Fashion District spoke out and called for their release on Monday morning.

LOS ANGELES - Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is speaking out following mass anti-ICE protests in the Los Angeles area over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. 

Sheinbaum Condemns Violence:

During a press conference Monday, Sheinbaum condemned the reported acts of violence over the weekend in Los Angles and called for peaceful demonstrations.

"We do not agree with violent actions as a form of protest. Burning police cars appears to be more an act of provocation than of resistance. We condemn violence, no matter where it comes from. We call on the Mexican community to act pacifically and not allow itself to be provoked," she said.

She added that Mexico has enlisted consular services to ensure that detained citizens have access to legal representation and are guaranteed due process.

A day ago, Sheinbaum praised the contributions of Mexicans in Los Angeles, calling them "good, honest men and women who left to seek a better life for themselves and to support their families." 

"They are not criminals," she said. "Los Angeles wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the Mexicans who live there." 

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Sheinbaum further said Mexican migrants are welcome back to the country if they wish to return. 

"We call for a ban on violence," she said. "Consuls are instructed to stay in touch with the 35 detained Mexicans and their families, and above all, to acknowledge the work of their fellow Mexicans there."

Sheinbaum also stressed that Mexico would continue to pursue diplomatic efforts on behalf of its citizens.

"The Mexican government will continue using all diplomatic and legal channels available to express its disagreement through its consular network with practices that criminalize immigration and put at risk the safety and wellbeing of our communities in the United States," she said.

The backstory:

The recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles erupted following widespread anger over the agency's enforcement tactics. 

Community leaders reported incidents of ICE appearing at elementary school graduations, disrupting the legitimate immigration processes at various court houses, and aggressively raiding workplaces and locations like Home Depot. 

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These actions, perceived as arbitrary and invasive, sparked outrage among residents and galvanized the public into widespread demonstrations across Los Angeles County.

Over the weekend, tensions grew high across the city with video capturing smoke bombs being tossed around, cars being set on fire and nonlethal rounds of rubber bullets flying across downtown Los Angeles, Paramount and Westlake, in addition to freeways near downtown.

Big picture view:

The recent raids come in the wake of President Donald Trump's nationwide push for mass deportations.

Internal government data shows ICE arrests during Trump's second term have already surpassed 100,000 this week, including over 2,000 arrests on both Tuesday and Wednesday. This marks a dramatic increase from the daily average of approximately 660 arrests during the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

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These numbers reportedly move closer to the stated goal of top administration officials, such as White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who has pushed for ICE to conduct "a minimum" of 3,000 arrests each day.