Federal Agents Detain Man Outside LA Church, Refuse to Identify Themselves

On June 11, 2025, several armed men bombarded a Latino man in the parking lot of Downey Memorial Church in Los Angeles refusing to identify themselves or present a warrant, leaving the community in fear.  Rev. Tanya Lopez, senior pastor of the church, watched from her office as three SUVs with out-of-state license plates pulled up to the church unannounced. Men wearing tan bulletproof vests marked “POLICE” emerged from the vehicles and swiftly apprehended the man.  

Despite repeated requests, the men refused to say who they were, what agency they represented, or whether they had a warrant. What unfolded felt like an act of intimidation, all of which was carried out in front of a house of worship. 

In the face of the moment, Rev. Lopez felt compelled to act. She tried to help the man by speaking out to him in Spanish, giving him guidance and assurance during the rest. The agents told Lopez to stand back, raising a rifle at her in what Lopez described as “a final warning to step back.” After threatening her, the men then proceed to laugh in her face. 

In a press conference following the event, Rev. Lopez stated how putting herself on the line and attempting to help is “what it means to be a person of faith.” She saw the incident as a moment of spiritual crisis, not just for her congregation, but for the broader community, which has been deeply unsettled. “I’m incredibly shaken,” Rev. Lopez said through tears. “It’s when I have a quiet moment that it really hits me.”

Several other raids took place across Los Angeles that morning. In a press conference, Mario Trujillo, a Downey City Council member said, “These raids at Home Depots, restaurants, places of worship, or schools are not keeping our community safe,” Trujillo said. “They are creating havoc and fear.”