Deputy Mayor of Cudahy, California urges criminal gangs to fight ICE raids in LA

Cynthia Gonzalez, Vice Mayor of Cudahy, a small city southwest of Los Angeles, is facing a fierce controversy after a video went viral on social media, now deleted, in which she apparently urged local gangs, such as the notorious 18th Street and Florence 13, to "protect their territory" in the face of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

In the video, Gonzalez questioned the inaction of Latino gangs during recent immigration raids in California, which have sparked protests across the state, many of which resulted in episodes of violence.

“I want to know where all the cholos (a "cholo" is a slang word referring to a member of a gang subculture) are at in Los Angeles – 18th Street, Florencia Where’s the leadership at?” she said.

“Because you guys are all about territory and, ‘This is 18th Street, this is Florencia.’ You guys tag everything up, claiming hood and now that your hood’s being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you."

Although she did not explicitly mention ICE, her comments were interpreted as a reference to the federal agency's operations against undocumented immigrants.

Gonzalez continued, “It’s everyone else who’s not about the gang life that’s out there protesting and speaking up. We’re out there fighting our turf, protecting our turf, protecting our people, and, like, where you at?”

She also appeared to urge gang leaders to “help out and organize” in the midst of the raids, stating, "don’t be trying to claim no block, no nothing, if you’re not showing up right now trying to, like, help out and organize."

The DHS response

For its part, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called Gonzalez's comments "despicable," accusing her of inciting gangs, including the violent 18th Street, to commit violence against ICE agents.

“This kind of garbage has led to a more than 500 percent increase in assaults against our ICE law enforcement officers,” DHS said in an X post, stressing that any assault against a federal agent will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Cudahy authorities take distance

The city of Cudahy also issued a statement distancing itself from the deputy mayor's comments. On its X account, authorities in that city noted:

“The comments made by the Vice Mayor reflect her personal views and do not represent the views or official position of the City of Cudahy. The City will not be providing further comment.”