The Los Angeles Dodgers say they blocked federal agents from entering their stadium on Thursday, as protests against immigration enforcement continue in the city. In a post on social media, the baseball team said "ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots", and were subsequently turned away. Los Angeles is among the cities where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have ramped up raids to find and deport undocumented migrants. ICE responded to the Dodgers statement on X: "False. We were never there." The Department of Homeland Security too issued a statement saying the agents' presence at the stadium "had nothing to do with the Dodgers". "CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," DHS said. It is unclear why the officials were at the stadium. This comes as Dodgers are expected to announce that they will assist immigrants who have been impacted by the raids in the city, US media report. No details have been disclosed, but it would be the team's first official response to the raids. Dodgers player Kiké Hernández took to Instagram to voice his criticism of the raids on Los Angeles, saying he is "saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city". "This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart," he said. The crackdown in Los Angeles is part of President Donald Trump's policy to be tougher on immigration. The move has sparked massive protests, prompting Trump to send 700 US Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area to support the federal response to the unrest. The raids in America's second-biggest city are unfolding against the backdrop of an aggressive push to raise arrest and deportation numbers, as the administration has been disappointed with its current pace. Meanwhile, White House border czar Tom Homan said on Thursday that the Trump administration will resume immigration raids at worksites. "The message is clear: we're going to continue conducting worksite enforcement operations, including on farms and in hotels, but on a prioritised basis. Criminals come first," Homan told reporters. The statement comes days after DHS announced reversing recent guidance that called for a pause on operations at those places.
Dodgers say immigration agents denied entry to Los Angeles stadium
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"Dodgers Prevent Immigration Agents from Entering Stadium Amid Protests"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Los Angeles Dodgers have reported that they successfully denied federal immigration agents access to Dodger Stadium on Thursday amid ongoing protests against immigration enforcement in the city. According to a statement shared on social media, the team revealed that agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requested permission to enter the stadium's parking lots but were turned away. In response, ICE disputed the Dodgers' account, claiming they were never present at the stadium. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also issued a statement clarifying that the agents' brief presence in the parking lot was unrelated to any enforcement operations. The ambiguity surrounding the agents' visit raises questions about the nature of their activities in the area, especially given the heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, which has been a focal point for ICE raids targeting undocumented migrants.
In light of these developments, the Dodgers are reportedly preparing to announce initiatives aimed at assisting immigrants adversely affected by the recent raids. Although specific details of this initiative remain undisclosed, it marks the team’s first formal response to the ongoing immigration crackdown, which is part of a broader strategy under President Donald Trump's administration to increase deportation efforts. The situation has sparked significant public outcry, with Dodgers player Kiké Hernández expressing his discontent on social media. He articulated his feelings of sadness and anger regarding the treatment of the community, emphasizing the emotional toll these immigration policies have on residents. The Trump administration's aggressive stance on immigration enforcement has led to increased military presence in the area, including the deployment of U.S. Marines and National Guard troops to manage the unrest. As the administration continues to prioritize immigration raids, including those targeting workplaces, officials have indicated that the focus will remain on criminal offenders, intensifying the scrutiny of immigrant communities in Los Angeles and beyond.
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