Democratic senator might just have inadvertently made case for mass deportations

Democrat California Sen. Alex Padilla — after posting a video to his X account about declining foot traffic in Boyle Heights — appears to have inadvertently made the case that mass deportations are emptying the streets of Los Angeles.

With President Donald Trump cracking down on illegal migrants in the U.S., mass deportations have ramped up in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles. In a video posted Saturday from Boyle Heights, a neighborhood in Los Angeles County, Padilla said foot traffic and business had declined for some local restaurants due to the increase in deportations that began in June.

“Hi, this is Senator Alex Padilla here in Boyle Heights, just outside of downtown Los Angeles, in one of LA’s most iconic, historic, and vibrant neighborhoods, typically. But ever since Trump’s ICE raids really began in earnest in early June, you’ve seen not just a drop in foot traffic, pedestrian activity here in the community, but all the business owners here have seen a significant drop in business,” Padilla said. “A lot of the customers are too afraid to come out and shop, too afraid to come out and eat, like at La Chispa de Oro here in Boyle Heights.”

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“So for folks who are wondering what they can do to push back, what they can do to counter this Trump crackdown, you can protest with your wallet. Come support a small business, immigrant-owned business in these diverse communities as part of our pushback,” Padilla added.

Riots and protests broke out in downtown Los Angeles at the beginning of June, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen making arrests throughout the county. Chaos quickly unfolded, turning protests into violent riots that led to burning cars, damaged police vehicles, and vandalism near federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles.

Despite the millions in damages to the city, California Democrats have continued to push back against the Trump administration’s deportations. On June 12, Padilla was forcefully removed from a press conference while attempting to ask a question as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was speaking.

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