LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday blocked federal immigration brokers from getting into their stadium as dozens of ICE protesters gathered exterior the venue, the staff stated.
The baseball group said on social media that federal brokers working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrived on the stadium Thursday and “requested permission to entry the parking tons.”
“They have been denied entry to the grounds by the group,” the Dodgers stated, including that their night recreation towards the San Diego Padres will go on on the stadium as scheduled.
ICE responded to the Dodgers on social media: “False. We have been by no means there.”
Demonstrators exterior the stadium’s gates have been seen holding indicators and chanting “ICE out of L.A.” and “ICE go dwelling” as a number of darkish SUVs stood on the alternative aspect of the highway. Some federal brokers seemed to be sporting Homeland Safety uniforms.
“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers,” Assistant Homeland Safety Secretary Tricia McLaughlin informed NBC Information in an electronic mail.
In response to McLaughlin, Customs and Border Safety autos “have been within the stadium parking zone very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.”
The federal brokers who confirmed up have been turned away from getting into the stadium gates, two sources accustomed to the matter informed NBC Information.
It was not instantly clear whether or not or how their presence was related to immigration operations reported across the metropolis Thursday, the sources stated.
A spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom stated the brokers’ presence at Dodger Stadium was meant to contribute to unease over the immigration raids.
“That is one other instance of the federal administration doing all the things of their energy to strike worry and damage hard-working households,” the governor’s deputy director of communications, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, stated.
Eunisses Hernandez, a Los Angeles Metropolis Council member, told NBC News she acquired calls early within the morning that “federal brokers have been staging right here on the entrance of Dodgers Stadium. We acquired photos of dozens of autos and dozens of brokers.”
She stated residents requested her to come back “examine issues out as a result of that is Dodgers property proper right here and what’s occurring is outrageous.”
Los Angeles police have been referred to as, Hernandez stated. They arrived in tactical gear round 11:30 a.m. and began shifting protesters out of the way in which.
“Persons are out right here as a result of they don’t need to see their households torn aside. They do not need to see extra employees taken from their jobs,” Hernandez stated on the web site of the protest.
Sources stated the Dodgers have cooperated with legislation enforcement up to now, letting them use parking tons across the stadium for staging functions.
“Companies and firms have the facility to say, ‘Not on my property,’ so we’re ready to see that motion occur right here,” Hernandez told NBC Los Angeles.
As anti-ICE demonstrations raged throughout Los Angeles this month, many residents have referred to as on the Dodgers to help immigrant communities.
The criticism comes as Dodgers proprietor Mark Walter bought another renowned Los Angeles sports team, the Lakers.
The Dodgers, the defending World Collection champions, reportedly have plans to announce a sweeping initiative to help immigrant communities affected by latest ICE raids.
For Thursday’s Juneteenth vacation, the staff plans a celebration of Black Heritage Night time because it faces a possibility to brush the Padres in 4 video games, with play scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Certainly one of L.A.’s star gamers, Kike Hernández, released a statement this week to indicate his help.
“I’m saddened and infuriated by what’s occurring in our nation and our metropolis,” the assertion reads. “I can’t stand to see our group being violated, profiled, abused, and ripped aside. All individuals should be handled with respect, dignity, and human rights.”
Jacob Soboroff and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and Nicole Acevedo from New York.
Erick Mendoza, David Douglas and Dennis Romero contributed.
