'We got him': Suspect who violently threw rocks at officers during LA ICE riots arrested after fleeing to Mexico, feds say



Prosecutors say the man who was caught on video violently throwing rocks at federal agents during the anti-ICE rioting in Los Angeles was arrested after he fled to Mexico.

Law enforcement officers were violently attacked during the rioting that rocked L.A. for several days in June. More than a month later, one alleged attacker has been apprehended.

'We got him. He was arrested today at the US-Mexico border.'

"You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7. We got him. He was arrested today at the U.S.-Mexico border," said Dan Bongino, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Reyna, who is a 40-year-old resident of Compton, was charged with assault on a federal officer, a felony, according to U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who added that the suspect would appear in court Wednesday.

"He was taken into custody by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside one of the vehicles damaged in the attack — a brave law enforcement officer who could have been killed in last month's dangerous and reckless attack," Essayli said.

An FBI notice about Reyna said the officer had been injured in the rock attack. Reyna faces eight years in prison if convicted.

Bongino posted video of the man, who was recorded flinging large rocks at vehicles driven by federal agents.

RELATED: Trump admin pulls troops from Los Angeles after being accused of 'militarization' by California lawmakers

UPDATE:

You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7.

We got him.

He was arrested today at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Well done @FBILosAngeles @CBP and all federal partners.

More to… pic.twitter.com/zt0BP4Mkgb
— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) July 23, 2025

As previously covered by Blaze News, video from inside the vehicles showed the violence aimed at federal agents.

"To anyone who thinks they can attack federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna's arrest today proves we can find and charge anyone who violates federal law. Don't touch our officers," Essayli warned.

"More to come. Those who attack America's police officers can run but they can't hide," Bongino added.

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Trump admin pulls troops from Los Angeles after being accused of 'militarization' by California lawmakers



After histrionic accusations from Democratic lawmakers in California about the "militarization" of Los Angeles by the Trump administration, the Pentagon said all of the troops were being pulled.

President Donald Trump had ordered the troops into L.A. after protests against immigration enforcement efforts turned into violent rioting in the days after June 7. Mayor Karen Bass (D) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) both downplayed the violence in order to oppose what they claimed was "illegal militarization" ordered by the president.

'The federal government is turning the military against American citizens. This is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy.'

On Monday, military officials said 700 active-duty Marines were leaving Los Angeles after ordering 2,000 federalized California National Guardsmen the week prior to leave the city.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell released a statement about the decision to ABC News.

"With stability returning to Los Angeles, [Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth] has directed the redeployment of the 700 Marines whose presence sent a clear message: Lawlessness will not be tolerated," said Parnell. "Their rapid response, unwavering discipline, and unmistakable presence were instrumental in restoring order and upholding the rule of law. We're deeply grateful for their service, and for the strength and professionalism they brought to this mission."

However, 2,000 guardsmen will stay in Los Angeles to defend federal buildings.

Newsom and Bass had accused the president of inciting the rioting by ramping up deportation efforts in Los Angeles and of taking advantage of the rioting to militarize the streets.

“This was provoked by the White House,” said Bass to reporters in June. "The reason why, we don't know. I posit that we are part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a jurisdiction, and frankly leaving our city and our citizens, our residents, in fear."

RELATED: Los Angeles Mayor Bass sues Trump admin to protect illegal aliens from mass deportations

"I just filed an emergency motion in court to immediately block the ongoing and unnecessary militarization of Los Angeles," wrote Newsom on June 10. "The federal government is turning the military against American citizens. This is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy."

The governor was initially successful, but the Trump administration very quickly won in appeals court and was allowed to maintain the troop presence in Los Angeles.

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Appeals court ends Newsom's gloating, returns control of National Guard to Trump only hours after first ruling



California Gov. Gavin Newsom's victory did not last long after an appeals court temporarily halted a ruling that had been made in the Democrat's favor just hours later.

Newsom had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for sending the National Guard and a battalion of U.S. Marines into the rioting in Los Angeles, and on Thursday, a judge ruled in his favor. United States District Judge Charles Breyer said that Trump had acted unconstitutionally in the order.

'Clearly, there’s no invasion, there’s no rebellion. It’s absurd.'

Newsom patted himself on the back and went on the attack rhetorically against President Donald Trump.

"The courts have ruled. The Guard will be back under my command — and Donald Trump will be relieved of his command at noon tomorrow," wrote the governor.

The governor spoke to reporters outside of the San Francisco federal courthouse, haranguing Trump and accusing Republicans in Congress of abrogating their constitutional duty to check the power of the executive branch.

— (@)

That was short-lived when the administration appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and got an emergency ruling to return command of the National Guard to the president.

“If it weren’t for me getting the National Guard into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now!” wrote the president in part after the appeals ruling.

Critics of the president's order have claimed that the rioting in Los Angeles was not violent enough to meet the standard where the president would be justified in sending troops to quell the uprising.

“Clearly, there’s no invasion, there’s no rebellion. It’s absurd," said Newsom.

RELATED: Trump obliterates Gavin Newsom's latest accusation — and produces the receipts

Photo by RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images

Breyer had agreed and ruled that the president had violated the 10th Amendment and improperly assumed the emergency powers.

"The Court must determine whether the president followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not," Breyer said.

"His actions were illegal — both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the governor of the state of California forthwith."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has claimed that the president's true aim was to use the military to oppose all protests against him.

“The president is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him. It’s not just immoral — it’s illegal and dangerous,” said Bonta. “Local law enforcement, not the military, enforce the law within our borders."

Breyer was nominated to the court by former President Bill Clinton and is the brother to former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

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US Attorney Essayli obliterates liberal narrative of union leader’s arrest at ICE riot in interview with Glenn Beck



In an interview with Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli documented the details that led to the arrest of a union leader at an ICE protest just as rioting broke out in Los Angeles on Friday.

Supporters of SEIU leader David Huerta have accused federal law enforcement officials of targeting him for arrest out of political motivation. His union called for his release and said that he was injured during the incident as well.

'I don't care who he is. He's not going anywhere. He'll get court on Monday.'

Essayli provided details of the incident to Glenn Beck that contradicted that accusation.

"I have been following SEIU for quite some time, and they are maybe not the head of the snake, but they're near. They might be some of the teeth in the head of the snake. And I haven't followed SEIU California for quite some time. And David Huerta, what can you tell me about him, and exactly what happened that got him arrested?" asked Beck.

Essayl said he didn't want to jeopardize the investigation but offered the state's version of what happened with Huerta.

'He stood in front of the driveway to block the agents from [executing a search warrant]. … That instigated a physical altercation between Mr. Huerta and the agents. … I don’t think anyone there knew who it was.'

"On Friday, our agents were executing that search warrant at that business. He stood in front of the driveway to block the agents from being able to go in and out of there and to get the van in there that was needed to transport the people who had been detained or arrested," said Essayli.

"He would not move."

RELATED: Activist groups declare 'Latino Freeze' boycott against companies that dropped DEI programs

— (@)

"So the agents went to move him, and my understanding is that instigated a physical altercation between Mr. Huerta and the agents. They pushed him. I think he pushed back, and they ended up pepper-spraying him and arresting him," Essayli continued.

But contrary to the accusations that the agents targeted Huerta, Essayli said they didn't know who he was at the time.

"I'll be honest with you; I had no idea who he was. I don’t think anyone there knew who it was. The agents didn’t know. It was a couple of hours later [that] we had politicians [who] started calling our special agents’ offices. They called my offices. Some tried to call me to say, 'He's a big deal. You don't know who you arrested,' and basically insinuating that we need to let him out," Essayli continued.

"I said, 'I don't care who he is. He's not going anywhere. He'll get court on Monday,''' he added.

RELATED: Union president reportedly detained and injured in ICE raids in Los Angeles


A statement from the SEIU claimed that Huerta had only been documenting the actions of federal agents.

“We are proud of President Huerta’s righteous participation as a community observer, in keeping with his long history of advocating for immigrant workers and with the highest values of our movement: standing up to injustice, regardless of personal risk or the power of those perpetrating it," said SEIU executive director Tia Orr.

"We call for an end to the cruel, destructive, and indiscriminate ICE raids that are tearing apart our communities, disrupting our economy, and hurting all working people," she added.

Huerta was charged with one felony count of conspiracy to impede an officer and released on a $50,000 bond.

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Nancy Pelosi faces brutal backlash for saying 'exuberance of the moment' led to LA rioting



Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California is getting mocked and ridiculed over her characterization of the violent rioting in Los Angeles against immigration enforcement raids.

Pelosi was criticizing President Donald Trump's response to the violence when she opined that the violence was likely due to "anarchists" and then offered her bizarre rationalization of the rioting.

'[You] always have to be careful, whether you see a burned car, a broken window, whatever it is.'

"I say this as a former party chair," Pelosi said to reporters on Tuesday. "When there is a gathering, a large gathering of people, the anarchists see it as an opportunity, and they move in.”

“So [you] always have to be careful, whether you see a burned car, a broken window, whatever it is. It may be the exuberance of the moment, but it may be the anarchists setting in," she added. "I heard one of the former police chiefs of Los Angeles speak about this on Sunday.”

She went on to criticize the press for not bashing Trump enough for her liking.

Video of Pelosi's comments was posted to social media, where they were widely circulated. Many online thought Pelosi's description of the rioting was irresponsible, and they nailed the former speaker of the House with criticism.

"This was quite the psychotic rant. I wonder how many martinis went into this diatribe," said commentator Kyle Becker.

"According to Pelosi, burning cops cars and Waymos are the product of exuberance. Careful, Nancy, you’re starting to sound like an anarchist yourself," said another critic.

"Yes whenever I feel exuberant I always go and break a few windows and burn a couple of cars. Totally normal," joked another X user.

"Exuberance of the moment, what a crock of s**t this lady is regurgitating. Tell that to the small business owners who's shops were looted; others who lost their cars and property. F**k this lady and all of those f**king cronies up there!" read another angry response.

RELATED: Fact-check: President Trump authorized 20,000 National Guard troops for duty on Jan. 6, 2021

Photo by Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The beleaguered California GOP also weighed in on the Pelosi comment.

“'The exuberance of the moment' ?!? Time to restore law and order," the group wrote.

As the week wore on, protests that began in Los Angeles on Friday had spread to other parts of the country, some with violence and vandalism. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, said that the violence and vandalism of the ICE rioting had significantly eased on Tuesday evening, but she also accused Trump of needlessly escalating tensions.

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