Introduction to the Incident
A crowd gathered late Thursday morning on a road outside Dodger Stadium where several federal agents were located near a stadium entrance gate after they were denied entry to the venue’s parking lots.
The federal agents in protective vests and masks were seen on the side of a road leading to Gate E. It was not immediately clear whether their presence was connected to federal law enforcement activity earlier Thursday in Hollywood and other locations.
The Team’s Response
"This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots," the team said in a post on X. "They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled."
The agents, who showed up in multiple vehicles, left at about midday in SUVs.
Reaction from Authorities
In a reply to the Dodgers post, the Department of Homeland Security said, "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement."
Los Angeles Council member Eunisses Hernandez, who was in the crowd outside Dodger Stadium, said the federal agents appeared to be using the location as a staging area. About two dozen people showed up at the gate late Thursday morning in protest and LAPD officers responded to the scene.
Protests and Public Opinion
Some members of the crowd chanted, "ICE out of LA."
The Dodgers host the San Diego Padres Thursday night.
This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 19, 2025
## Background on Immigration Enforcement
Immigration enforcement operations reported around Southern California sparked days of protests this month in Los Angeles and other communities. The Department of Homeland Security has said the operations, including ICE raids at businesses, will continue as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan, a central promise of his presidential campaign.
President Donald Trump said Sunday in a social media post that he has directed federal immigration authorities to expand operations in Los Angeles and other cities.
The administration has highlighted arrests involving undocumented individuals with violent crime convictions. Those who have been caught up in the nationwide raids include asylum seekers, people who overstayed their visas and migrants awaiting their day in immigration court.
## Impact on the Community
The vast majority of resulting protests have been in part of downtown Los Angeles near federal buildings, including a federal detention center. Marines and federalized National Guard troops were sent to LA by the Trump administration over objections from state and local leaders.
California is home to 10.6 million immigrants, more than any other state, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The Pew Research Center estimates that 1.8 million immigrants in California were undocumented in 2022, a figure that dropped from 2.8 million in 2007.
Most of the state’s immigrant population is in large coastal counties, like Los Angeles County, where about 3.5 million people — or about 35 percent of the county’s population — are immigrants, according to the 2024 State of Immigrants in Los Angeles County report from the USC Dornsife research institute. There are about 809,000 undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County, which has a population of 9.6 million, according to the report.
## Conclusion
The incident at Dodger Stadium highlights the ongoing tensions between federal immigration authorities and local communities in California. The state’s large immigrant population and the Trump administration’s deportation plans have led to increased protests and controversy. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the federal government and local authorities will respond to the growing concerns and opposition.
## FAQs
Q: What happened at Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning?
A: Federal agents were denied entry to the stadium’s parking lots after requesting permission to access them.
Q: Why were the federal agents at Dodger Stadium?
A: The reason for their presence is unclear, but it may be connected to federal law enforcement activity earlier in the day.
Q: How did the crowd react to the federal agents?
A: About two dozen people showed up to protest, chanting “ICE out of LA.”
Q: What has been the response from the Department of Homeland Security?
A: The department stated that the incident had nothing to do with the Dodgers and that CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot briefly for an unrelated reason.
Q: What is the current situation with immigration enforcement in California?
A: The state is home to a large immigrant population, and the Trump administration’s deportation plans have led to increased protests and controversy.
