SoCal ICE raids: 10 arrested for allegedly interfering in immigration enforcement
Multiple federal law enforcement agencies Wednesday announced the arrests of several protestors who allegedly engaged in violence and civil disorder during immigration enforcement actions in Southern California earlier this year.
On July 10, immigration agents executed a search warrant at a cannabis farm in Camarillo. There was a clash with demonstrators, and some threw rocks at agents. Federal officials announced that a number of those people are in custody.
"During the summer we were very clear that anyone who engages in criminal conduct, who assaults our agents or damages government property - we're going to find you, and we're going to arrest you and we're going to charge you," acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said at a press conference.
Ten people were arrested. Charges include civil disorder against law enforcement officers.
Authorities are searching for more protesters who allegedly engaged in violence.
AIR7 captured one person who allegedly fired a gun toward federal agents during the Camarillo confrontation. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to a conviction.
"And while the First Amendment protects the freedom of speech and the freedom to peacefully assemble, it does not provide for a right to assault federal officers," said Eddy Wang, Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles special agent in charge.
The announcement comes as a U.S. district judge ruled that Essayli has stayed in the temporary job longer than allowed by law. The decision represents another setback to the Trump administration's effort to extend handpicked acting U.S. attorneys beyond the 120-day limit set by federal law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi now named Essayli first assistant U.S. attorney.
"The question will be, what's the difference between acting as an acting U.S. attorney and a deputy U.S. attorney, and are there things now that he cannot do? At this point, based on the judge's decision, it looks like he'll still largely be in charge of that office," Loyola Marymount law professor Jessica Levinson told Eyewitness News.
Essayli responded to the ruling during Wednesday's press conference.
"The judge waded through it," Essayli said. "He says whether or not I qualify as the acting, there's no question that I'm the first assistant, which makes me the top federal prosecutor in this office."
City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
