Union leader and community observer David Huerta, president of SEIU California, entered the spotlight after police arrested him during an ICE raid protest in Los Angeles. Acting as a community observer, Huerta allegedly sat in front of a vehicle gate to block federal agents executing a search warrant at a business suspected of employing undocumented workers.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed Huerta faced a felony charge—“conspiracy to impede an officer”— which carries up to six years in prison In a statement after posting bail, Huerta said, “This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening.”
Video from the protest shows tense moments as ICE agents push Huerta to the ground; he was hospitalized briefly and released on a $50,000 bond. Federal officials maintain he interfered with law enforcement vehicles and refused instructions during a legal raid.
Support for Huerta poured in from labor and Democratic leaders nationwide. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called him a “respected leader, a patriot, and an advocate for working people.” International President April Verrett defended him as acting in accordance with “the highest values of our movement: standing up to injustice, regardless of personal risk.”
Meanwhile, protests erupted in cities from Boston to San Francisco, with union allies calling for his release. A coalition of labor groups and elected officials accused the Trump administration of using “fascist tactics”, aligning Huerta’s arrest with broader concerns about federal overreach.
