The Department of Homeland Security launched a surprise operation to enforce immigration laws in Los Angeles on Wednesday, arresting 16 illegal immigrants tied to a region that federal agents say is gripped by MS-13 gang control.
Dubbed “Operation Trojan Horse,” the raid began around 7 a.m. near a Home Depot on Wilshire Boulevard by MacArthur Park — the same location where a previous June sweep drew national attention, Fox News LA reported.
Video from the scene shows federal agents bursting from the back of a Penske moving truck and sprinting toward a group of individuals gathered near a street food stand. The crowd immediately scattered as agents moved in.
According to a DHS spokesperson, 16 undocumented migrants were detained. The individuals are originally from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua. No further details were immediately provided about their criminal histories or immigration status, but DHS officials made clear the area is plagued by gang activity that threatens public safety.
“This area has a known MS-13 chokehold,” one DHS official told Fox News, justifying the enforcement presence.
Penske Truck Rental, whose vehicle was used in the operation, quickly distanced itself from the raid, stating it “strictly prohibits” transporting people in the cargo areas of its trucks and had no prior knowledge of DHS using its equipment.
“Penske will reach out to DHS and reinforce its policy to avoid improper use of its vehicles in the future,” the company said.
Despite ongoing legal challenges from pro-illegal immigration activists, Wednesday’s raid was not blocked by a recent federal court ruling that temporarily restricted warrantless detentions. That ruling, issued last month by a federal judge, criticized DHS for allegedly conducting “roving” patrols and detaining individuals based on ethnicity or occupation rather than legal cause.
The Biden-appointed judge’s ruling also required the government to give access to legal counsel for detainees — a move seen by many as an attempt to tie the hands of federal agents and slow down deportations.
The Biden Justice Department appealed the restraining order, but a three-judge panel from the 9th Circuit refused to pause the ruling. The case is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the legal pushback did not halt Wednesday’s operation. U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles Bill Essayli took to X to celebrate the enforcement effort.
“For those who thought immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again,” Essayli wrote. “The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable, and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government.”
The raid follows a massive June 6 operation in the same neighborhood where around 100 federal agents detained multiple individuals. That sweep prompted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to confront the agents on site.
“They need to leave, and they need to leave right now. They need to leave because this is unacceptable,” Bass shouted at agents, reinforcing her opposition to immigration enforcement.
That day, coordinated raids took place at seven locations across Los Angeles, sparking mass protests by evening. Some demonstrators became violent, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to declare an unlawful assembly and issue a citywide tactical alert.
SkyFOX video captured dozens of LAPD officers in riot gear forming skirmish lines outside the Royal Federal Building downtown as protesters hurled objects and advanced toward the structure.
Footage showed clashes between officers and demonstrators. Tear gas and pepper spray were deployed as protesters used hammers to break concrete and spray-painted “F*** ICE” across city property.
According to LAPD, some protesters began throwing chunks of concrete at officers as the crowd escalated.
With President Trump now back in office and cracking down on sanctuary policies, DHS has made it clear that immigration enforcement is returning — and no city, no activist mayor, and no protest mob will stand in the way.