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A bombshell report has identified the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) as a key orchestrator behind the recent wave of anti-ICE unrest in Los Angeles. The protests, which saw demonstrators confront federal immigration officers head-on, were reportedly coordinated through CHIRLA’s Los Angeles Rapid Response Network — a real-time mobilization system that tracks ICE activity across the city.
California attorney Laura Powell publicly blasted CHIRLA on social media, accusing the nonprofit of using taxpayer dollars to incite aggressive resistance against federal immigration enforcement. Powell, a longtime critic of the group’s radical stance, noted its history of anti-ICE activism — including a high-profile 2018 campaign to dismantle the agency entirely. She also drew attention to CHIRLA’s deep political ties, connecting the organization to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and major labor unions.
Financial records show CHIRLA received a staggering $34 million in California state funding in 2023 — nearly triple its 2022 allocation. It was also briefly awarded a $450,000 federal contract, which was later rescinded following legal scrutiny. These revelations have ignited fierce debate over whether politically active nonprofits should be eligible for such generous public funding.
Amid the height of the protests, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters made a fiery appearance at the scene, denouncing President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to the sanctuary city. Waters argued that California officials were sidelined in the decision and slammed the militarized response as a violation of local autonomy.
Waters also attempted to access the Los Angeles Federal Building to check on SEIU President David Huerta, who had been arrested during the demonstrations. The incident has fueled growing national controversy over the blurred lines between activism, taxpayer funding, and federal immigration policy.
