LOS ANGELES, CA – Despite critics of the Trump administration thinking immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles would be thwarted due to a standing court order prohibiting perceived illegal enforcement tactics, Border Patrol agents swarmed a Home Depot location earlier in August notorious for the presence of illegal laborers after suspected illegal immigrants reportedly agreed to perform under-the-table work for undercover agents, as reported by MSN News.
On August 6th, Border Patrol agents converged on a Home Depot location in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westlake, in what has been dubbed “Operation Trojan Horse” by Border Patrol Sector Chief Greg Bovino. According to reports, as many as 16 suspected illegal immigrants were detained after an undercover agent driving a Penske rental truck approached a group waiting outside the Home Depot and asked if they were interested in doing some day labor.
Witnesses claim that after the interaction between the driver of the Penske truck and the group outside the Home Depot, several Border Patrol agents hopped out of the cargo area of the truck and began apprehending the fleeing suspects. A spokesperson for the rental truck company noted they were oblivious to how their truck would be used, adding that Penske has a standing policy which “strictly prohibits the transportation of people in the cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances.”
Needless to say, the immigration enforcement operation has stirred outrage among critics of the current administration, reiterating assertions linked to an ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration that enforcing standing immigration laws is somehow illegal.
Jorge-Mario Cabrera, communications director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), which is party to the ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration, called the operation “disturbing” and “lawless,” seemingly in reference to 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent ruling to uphold a stay on federal agents engaging in perceived racial profiling when conducting immigration operations.
“It is deeply disturbing that the federal government will stoop to these levels to continue their campaign of terror against working Angelenos,” Cabrera said in response to the raid, adding, “These are Angelenos looking for an honest day’s living …What we see in the video looks like an assault on people’s liberties, an assault on individuals that were standing there looking for a job, and a targeted operation that was in fact lawless.”
Meanwhile, the Justice Department made their stance clear following the backlash to the August 6th operation, with acting U.S. attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California plainly stating that vague and ostensibly impossible to enforce prohibitions imposed by various state courts will not stop the federal government from enforcing immigration law.
“For those who thought Immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again,” Essayli stated on social media, further adding, “The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government.”
On August 6th, Border Patrol agents converged on a Home Depot location in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westlake, in what has been dubbed “Operation Trojan Horse” by Border Patrol Sector Chief Greg Bovino. According to reports, as many as 16 suspected illegal immigrants were detained after an undercover agent driving a Penske rental truck approached a group waiting outside the Home Depot and asked if they were interested in doing some day labor.
Witnesses claim that after the interaction between the driver of the Penske truck and the group outside the Home Depot, several Border Patrol agents hopped out of the cargo area of the truck and began apprehending the fleeing suspects. A spokesperson for the rental truck company noted they were oblivious to how their truck would be used, adding that Penske has a standing policy which “strictly prohibits the transportation of people in the cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances.”
Needless to say, the immigration enforcement operation has stirred outrage among critics of the current administration, reiterating assertions linked to an ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration that enforcing standing immigration laws is somehow illegal.
Jorge-Mario Cabrera, communications director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), which is party to the ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration, called the operation “disturbing” and “lawless,” seemingly in reference to 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent ruling to uphold a stay on federal agents engaging in perceived racial profiling when conducting immigration operations.
“It is deeply disturbing that the federal government will stoop to these levels to continue their campaign of terror against working Angelenos,” Cabrera said in response to the raid, adding, “These are Angelenos looking for an honest day’s living …What we see in the video looks like an assault on people’s liberties, an assault on individuals that were standing there looking for a job, and a targeted operation that was in fact lawless.”
Meanwhile, the Justice Department made their stance clear following the backlash to the August 6th operation, with acting U.S. attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California plainly stating that vague and ostensibly impossible to enforce prohibitions imposed by various state courts will not stop the federal government from enforcing immigration law.
“For those who thought Immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again,” Essayli stated on social media, further adding, “The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government.”
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Comments
2025-08-10T18:04-0400 | Comment by: Phil
If you're here illegally you don't have American rights, you're an ILLEGAL alien! I'm sick of these leftist democrats and illegal aliens whining about ICE enforcing our immigration laws. Self-deport and use the front door like all LEGAL immigrants do.
2025-08-10T19:04-0400 | Comment by: Robert
EXACTLY what I Voted for! Good job Border Patrol....
2025-08-11T12:51-0400 | Comment by: James
Home Depot needs to at least pay a big fine! Let their management explain WHY they thought it was OK to hire these criminals!
2025-08-14T15:09-0400 | Comment by: Rick
I find it hilarious that the idiots from Penske had to chastise ICE by insisting their trucks are not to transport people. I never heard Penske make a peep about transporting people when their trucks are caught transporting illegal aliens.... GREAT JOB, ICE! KEEP UP THE GREAT AND IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING!