Dozens of Los Angeles citizens staged a raucous late-night protest outside a suspected ICE agent hotel Thursday, banging pots and blasting air horns to disrupt agents' sleep. The "No Sleep For ICE" rally—organized by immigrant rights groups—saw 50 demonstrators wave signs reading "ICE Out of LA" and "No Rest for Family Destroyers" from 10 PM until dawn. "They terrorize our community all day. Why should they sleep peacefully?" said 23-year-old Nathanael Landaverde, striking a frying pan as passing cars honked support.
The protest reflects escalating anger over ICE tactics under Trump’s intensified deportation push. Recent images show masked, rifle-wielding agents detaining migrants at courthouses, farms, and homes—a practice immigration attorney Emi MacLean called "deliberate dehumanization." Critics compare the anonymity to authoritarian regimes, with Cato Institute scholar Walter Olson warning: "At what point do we have a secret police?" California lawmakers have proposed the "No Secret Police Act" banning federal agents from obscuring identities, though ICE claims masks protect against retaliation.
Thursday’s action follows weeks of LA protests against ICE operations that saw agents detain U.S. citizens intervening in arrests, including a New York mayoral candidate. "They’re ripping families apart in our neighborhoods," said 22-year-old accordion player Juliet Austin. "They don’t deserve rest if they do this." While the hotel’s ICE occupancy wasn’t confirmed, organizers cited photo evidence of federal vehicles. Some guests watched the cacophony—featuring distorted white noise and megaphone screams—through curtain cracks.
The confrontation highlights stark divisions: Trump recently praised ICE’s "incredible courage," while protesters like Austin labeled agents a "modern Gestapo." With arrests reportedly nearing 2,000 daily and Trump targeting 3,000, demonstrations show no sign of abating. "This city won’t back down," Austin declared. "We’re not tired."