LOS ANGELES – Republican Congressman Darrell Issa is turning up the heat on the Los Angeles Police Department after reports emerged that ICE officers were left vulnerable during a violent anti-immigration protest Friday night. The California lawmaker is now pushing for a congressional investigation into what he calls a dangerous delay in LAPD’s response.
The controversy centers around a claim from the Department of Homeland Security that LAPD took two hours to respond to ICE agents under siege by a mob of more than a thousand rioters. In a strongly worded press release Tuesday, Issa, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the matter demands nothing less than a “full and complete Congressional investigation.”
“Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property,” DHS said in a press release Saturday.
“It took the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 2 hours to respond.”
Battle Over the Clock: LAPD Pushes Back
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell didn’t take long to challenge that timeline. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, McDonnell dismissed DHS’s assertion as completely inaccurate.
“When we heard that, I think anybody who’s a police officer couldn’t believe it, and certainly anyone with LAPD couldn’t imagine how that could happen,” McDonnell told reporters.
“Well, it didn’t happen.”
Instead, McDonnell said the response time was 40 minutes, attributing the delay to snarled traffic and street obstructions caused by the crowd.
DHS Doubles Down
But DHS isn’t backing off. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the department, reaffirmed the agency’s version of events in a statement.
“The fact remains that it took the Los Angeles Police Department two hours to respond,” McLaughlin said. “During that time, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property. DHS is grateful that now the LAPD is stepping up to help restore law and order.”
A City on Fire, A Federal Force Under Siege
Friday’s chaos unfolded in the wake of controversial ICE raids across Los Angeles, sparking protests that quickly escalated into full-blown violence. According to DHS, officers were overwhelmed as protesters hurled objects, lit fires, and vandalized federal property.
Photos from the scene captured scenes of anarchy: burning vehicles, slashed tires, and a protester waving a Mexican flag next to a flaming car in Compton.
By Monday, LAPD had arrested 50 individuals tied to the violence. Charges ranged from attempted murder to assault with a deadly weapon on law enforcement, according to Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin. He reported on X that five LAPD officers and five LAPD horses suffered minor injuries during the melee.
Political Pressure Mounts
For Issa, the question isn’t just how long the response took — it’s whether political interference played a role in the delay. He wants to know who was calling the shots that night.
“We need to know if the political leadership of the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, or anyone else instructed the LAPD to stand down and not respond to the emergency requests of our ICE agents who were under attack by rioters determined to block them, burn them, or even kill them as they bravely carried out their sworn duties,” Issa said in his statement.
Clashing Narratives
The dispute between DHS and LAPD underscores a growing rift between federal and local authorities over immigration enforcement in California. LAPD has long distanced itself from federal immigration duties, and Chief McDonnell made that point clear again Friday evening.
“The department does not participate in immigration activities,” he said, aiming to calm tensions amid growing public anger.
Violence Overshadows Peaceful Protest
Though officials acknowledged that parts of the demonstration remained peaceful, the situation by Friday night had deteriorated. Authorities reported that officers were being targeted with projectiles and fireworks, and parts of downtown Los Angeles turned into battlegrounds.
Critics of California’s Democratic leadership argue that officials have downplayed the violence by labeling the protests “peaceful”, a move that has only fueled Republican frustration.
As of now, LAPD has not issued a formal comment on Issa’s call for an investigation, but pressure is mounting. With video evidence circulating and emotions still raw, this latest incident has reignited debates over law enforcement priorities, political influence, and how far cities should go in distancing themselves from federal immigration enforcement.
