Los Angeles Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez is now under FBI investigation after shocking social media posts urging local gang members to attack ICE agents conducting immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods.
Key Takeaways
- Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez is under FBI investigation for social media posts calling on gang members to “defend their turf” against ICE agents
- Gonzalez’s inflammatory rhetoric comes amid massive protests against President Trump’s immigration enforcement actions in Los Angeles
- Over 385 protesters have been arrested as tensions escalate between federal authorities and California officials
- President Trump has deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles to support ICE operations
- Legal experts suggest Gonzalez’s statements may constitute incitement to violence against federal officers
California Politician Calls for Gang Violence Against Federal Agents
In an astonishing display of reckless rhetoric from an elected official, Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez is facing serious consequences after posting videos on social media that appeared to encourage gang members to confront and attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The FBI has launched an investigation into Gonzalez’s statements, which potentially constitute incitement to violence against federal law enforcement officers carrying out President Trump’s immigration enforcement directives. Her inflammatory comments have added fuel to an already volatile situation in Los Angeles, where mass protests against immigration enforcement have turned violent in recent weeks.
In the social media video that sparked the investigation, Gonzalez directly addressed gang members, asking, “Not for nothing, but I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles?” She continued with the inflammatory claim that ICE agents were “running their muck all up in your streets,” seemingly encouraging gang retaliation against federal officers. The Vice Mayor’s comments represent a dangerous escalation in the already tense standoff between California officials and federal authorities implementing President Trump’s immigration policies. Such rhetoric from an elected official crosses the line from protected political speech to potential criminal incitement.
Escalating Tensions in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has become ground zero for confrontations between immigration enforcement authorities and protesters since President Trump’s administration began ramping up deportation efforts. The situation has deteriorated to the point where the President deployed significant military resources, including 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines, to support federal law enforcement operations in the city. These forces are backing ICE agents as they conduct enforcement actions against illegal immigrants, particularly those with criminal records, fulfilling a core campaign promise that helped secure Trump’s election victory.
“America voted for mass deportations. Violent insurrectionists, and the politicians who enable them, are trying to overthrow the results of the election,” said Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Trump.
The protests have resulted in significant violence and property damage, with law enforcement making over 385 arrests so far. Two individuals, Emiliano Gardno Galvez and Wrackkie Quiogue, have been charged with throwing firebombs during the protests. Additionally, protester Jose Manuel Mojica has been charged with assaulting a federal officer, though he claims he was trying to de-escalate the situation. The violent nature of these protests demonstrates exactly why Gonzalez’s call for gang involvement represents such a dangerous escalation that merited immediate FBI attention.
California Leadership at Odds with Federal Authority
California’s political leadership has consistently opposed President Trump’s immigration enforcement actions, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass openly calling for an end to ICE operations in the city. “All of us represent cities in this region where immigrants are key. To have people live in fear like it is today is just unacceptable,” said Mayor Bass, signaling her opposition to federal immigration enforcement. This resistance from state and local officials has created a complex legal and operational environment for federal agents attempting to enforce immigration law, with local politicians like Gonzalez taking their opposition to dangerous new extremes.
Legal Implications and National Response
The Department of Justice is taking a hard line against protesters who engage in violence against federal officers. Major General Scott Sherman, who is overseeing military support for the operations, made the federal position clear: “They’re in the lead. We’re supporting them. It’s really about protecting federal facilities and federal personnel as they do their job.” This statement underscores the administration’s commitment to protecting ICE agents from precisely the kind of violence that Gonzalez’s statements appeared designed to provoke, making her comments particularly alarming to federal authorities.
“Get in order,” Gonzalez said in her inflammatory video, appearing to give instructions to gang members to organize against federal authorities.
The repercussions of the Los Angeles protests are spreading nationwide, with similar demonstrations occurring in New York, Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Nationwide protests against immigration enforcement are planned for June 14, coinciding with a military parade in Washington. These developments highlight the growing divide between the federal government’s legal authority to enforce immigration laws and the resistance from certain state and local officials who seem willing to go to extraordinary—and potentially illegal—lengths to obstruct those efforts, even if it means encouraging violence against federal officers.
