Over the past few weeks, immigration arrests in Los Angeles have made headlines and been the focus of court challenges. However, Angelenos may be perplexed as they watch the drama unfold on television and in their communities, wondering who precisely is handcuffing and dragging individuals away.
After all, some of the federal agents conducting the raids are driving unmarked cars, have no badges on display, are dressed in street clothing, and have their faces covered. Are they Homeland Security Investigations personnel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, or agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? What’s the difference?
The Department of Homeland Security, which was established in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to fight terrorism in the United States, is the parent organization of all these federal agencies.
Its responsibilities include monitoring the movement of people and goods at U.S. borders, enforcing trade rules (by inspecting goods entering and leaving the country), reacting to terrorism, natural disasters, and homeland security threats. These missions are enforced by Homeland Security’s three branches: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Most recently, federal officials were seen at Dodger Stadium’s admission gates on Thursday, wearing face covers, carrying weapons, and lacking any identifying gear or badges.
ICE out of L.A. was written on the signs held by protesters outside the stadium after they became aware of the officials’ presence.
However, according to the agency, the authorities outside the stadium were really U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents who were in the stadium parking lot for a limited period of time and had nothing to do with any enforcement or operation.
Bewildered?
Homeland Security authorities told The Times in a statement that immigration personnel use verbally identifying themselves as ICE or Homeland Security agents when conducting operations. According to the federal government, immigration officers also have their department’s name on one or both sides of their cars and wear vests that read Homeland Security or ICE/ERO.
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin stated, “When our brave law enforcement officers carry out operations, they wear masks to protect themselves from being targeted by highly skilled gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, criminal rings, murderers, and rapists.”
What is the objective of the immigration officers in Los Angeles, and who are they?
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Has someone from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement visited Los Angeles?Anti-immigration demonstrations were held throughout the county at the beginning of the month after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers raided a fashion warehouse in downtown Los Angeles and detained over 40 illegal workers.
What is the mission of ICE?According to the federal agency’s website, ICE and its Enforcement and Removal Operations officials are responsible for identifying, apprehending, detaining, and expelling undocumented individuals from the United States.
According to the website, ERO officers target dangers to public safety, including gang members, undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions, people who have illegally returned to the country after being removed, and immigration fugitives who have been ordered to leave by federal immigration judges.
California
Some ICE sweeps seem to be randomly selected, while others seem to be focused on certain workplaces.
Homeland Security Investigations
Has someone from Homeland Security Investigations visited Los Angeles?Homeland Security Investigations investigators participated in two separate arrests of individuals suspected of being in the country illegally two months prior to immigration officials launching sweeping operations throughout Los Angeles.
When HSI officers raided a nightclub in May, they took 36 Chinese and Taiwanese people into custody. The club’s location was not made public.
Twelve Mexican nationals who were suspected of entering the country illegally after going from Mexico to Long Beach in a small boat were also arrested by the officers.
What is the mission of HSI?HSI is a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. According to the Homeland Security website, Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to looking into crime on a worldwide basis, both domestically and internationally as well as online.
The illicit movement of persons, products, money, drugs, weapons, illegal technology exports, and intellectual property crime into and out of the United States are all investigated by this department as part of federal criminal investigations.
Additionally, officials look into crimes like financial fraud, frauds, human trafficking, and child exploitation.
California
Schools in Los Angeles Supt. Alberto Carvalho claimed that the federal agents lied when they claimed that the students’ guardians had given permission for the visits and that they were there to inquire about the welfare of illegal students.
For the record:
2025 June 22, 8:41 a.m.This article’s previous version misidentified the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency as the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and misrepresented certain of the CBP’s and the U.S. Border Patrol’s responsibilities.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Has Los Angeles been visited by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials?McLaughlin stated on Thursday that CBP officers had detained nine illegal aliens in San Fernando and Pacoima and thirty illegal aliens in Hollywood, California.
Officers searched a Home Depot parking lot in Hollywood where food vendors and laborers were employed.
What is the mission of CBP?Airports and land border crossings are common locations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Agents of the U.S. Border Patrol concentrate on unauthorized border crossings between ports of entry separately.
According to its website, the Border Patrol conducts municipal patrols, transportation checks, anti-smuggling operations, and traffic checkpoints along highways that flow from border areas.
In order to prevent unlawful entrance and the smuggling of undocumented persons into the United States, the Border Patrol also keeps an eye on international borders and coastlines within its jurisdiction.
In order to identify and stop illegal drug use and the entry of undocumented persons into the United States, Border Patrol officers conduct traffic checks on major routes that lead away from the border.
Two additional federal agencies are present on the streets:
National Guard
At least 2,000 National Guard soldiers would be sent to Los Angeles, officials pledged. They have primarily safeguarded federal buildings thus far.
How many are now on the ground is unknown.
While California’s objections are being heard in federal court, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday to leave troops in Los Angeles in the hands of the Trump administration.
Officials in California contended that the National Guard was unnecessary.
U.S. Marines
Some U.S. Marines have also been sent to Los Angeles by the federal government.
The Marines will collaborate with National Guard troops under Task Force 51, the military’s designation for the Los Angeles forces, according to the U.S. Northern Command, which is in charge of troops stationed in the United States. They said that the Marines, like the Guard, have received training in crowd management, de-escalation techniques, and force usage protocols.
Earlier this month, Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot told The Times that the Marines in Los Angeles had limited authority and were simply there to protect federal workers and property. He stated that they are not able to make arrests.
The presence of Marines in Los Angeles has also been resisted by local leaders.
