Noem Claims 10,000 Los Angeles Immigrants Arrested; California Officials Denounce Trump‑era Tactics

On Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that federal agents had arrested more than 10,000 undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles, sparking a sharp backlash from California officials.

Noem’s Announcement

Noem posted the figure on her social media, blasting Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom for “FAILED the people of California.” She added that the city has “They have let murders, kidnappers. and sexual predators, and roam free.”

Scale of Enforcement

The crackdown began in large‑scale raids on June 3, when three workplaces in the downtown LA area were searched. Noem did not disclose the exact dates of the arrests, but the June raid marked the start of the operation that led to the 10,000‑plus arrests.

Criminal‑History Data

NBC Los Angeles could not independently verify how many of the 10,000 had criminal records. The Trump administration, however, has touted that it is “removing illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers, drug traffickers and other violent criminals off (the) streets – and sending them back.”

According to new data NBC News received this week, more than one‑third of people immigration officials arrested during the first nine months of the Trump administration had no criminal histories. Among 220,000 people who were arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement officers between Jan. 20 and Oct. 15, nearly 75,000 people had no criminal records, the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project reported.

California’s Response

The office of Gov. Newsom called the Trump administration’s immigration policy a “sick game of cruelty and chaos that President and Stephen Miller are playing” in response to NBCLA’s request for comment. The governor’s office said, “The reality is that their obsession with mass arrests, detention and deportations is spurring indiscriminate and racially‑motivated immigration raids with serious societal and economic consequences.”

They also warned that the policy is “arresting American citizens, hardworking parents and contributors to our economy, while also wasting taxpayer money to go after those who are legitimately going through the legal immigration process, like the spouses of U.S. citizens.”

Newsom’s office added, “We support public safety, while the Trump agenda is all for inflating headlines.” They further noted that California is “trying to ensure bad criminals have no place in our society, including coordinating with ICE when these people get out of our prisons.”

Mayor Bass’s Statement

NBCLA reached out to the office of Mayor Bass for comment. Bass said, “Los Angeles is a proud city of immigrants, and we stand with every member of our immigrant communities. They are our friends and neighbors. We value them, and we know that the vast majority of immigrants are law‑abiding, hardworking people—families seeking safety, opportunity, and a better future. Our immigrant communities are an essential part of our neighborhoods, our schools, and our economy.”

Key Takeaways

• More than 10,000 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Los Angeles, according to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
• The large‑scale enforcement began on June 3 with raids on three downtown workplaces.
• Data shows that over one‑third of those arrested during the Trump era had no criminal records.
• California officials criticize the policy as indiscriminate and racially‑motivated, while emphasizing support for public safety.
• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass highlights the city’s pride in its immigrant communities and calls for fair treatment.

The controversy underscores the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement tactics and the balance between public safety and civil rights.