Federal agents arrested 37 individuals during a series of raids at three Home Depot locations in Los Angeles County on June 30, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The operation, conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), targeted stores on Figueroa Street, North Hollywood, and Sunset Boulevard.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed the arrests, stating that 14 individuals were detained near Figueroa Street, 11 in North Hollywood, and 12 on Sunset Boulevard. Those arrested included individuals with criminal histories involving drug trafficking, firearm offenses, theft, forgery, DUIs, and battery.
The raids have sparked community backlash, with some local leaders and activists expressing outrage over the targeting of day laborers. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez criticized the operations, emphasizing that those detained were primarily individuals seeking work. He stated, “These are day laborers…people that come here every single day to try to find work” as reported by NBC Los Angeles…