Protests against US immigration raids in Los Angeles this summer have forced federal agencies to identify hotels where officers could stay without facing harassment, according to documents obtained by the Guardian. Activists targeted hotels where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were staying, staging 'No Sleep for ICE' rallies with chants and music throughout the night.
A 16 June email from the US Marines shows that military officials compiled a list of 'LA Hotels to Avoid' based on reports from multiple law enforcement agencies tracking community backlash. The list was created by Army North, the domestic defence command deployed during the protests, and reviewed by the Navy's south-west division.
The documents, obtained by the transparency non-profit Property of the People, suggest the protests disrupted Trump's immigration crackdown, though the full extent of the impact remains unclear. A Marine Corps analyst in San Diego sent the list to the San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center, seeking similar information for that region, citing 'operations in the area' and a desire to 'avoid issues' related to 'harassment of ICE and CBP personnel'.
Authorities did not disclose the hotel names or further communications. The military's efforts came after Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to respond to LA protests, a move that polled poorly and led to reports of low morale among troops.
Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People, said the documents reveal that 'Trump's nativist crusade' is so widely opposed that 'the US military feels the need to hide from Americans on American soil'. Activists involved in the protests said the emails affirm the effectiveness of their demonstrations, which were often organised spontaneously by residents across LA county, including in Pasadena, Glendale, and Long Beach.
