LA Dodgers Say ICE Tried To Access Stadium Parking Lots Ahead Of Padres Game But Were Denied

The Los Angeles Dodgers said on Thursday that the organization prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from entering its stadium parking lots.

In a social media publication, the Dodgers said the agents requested permission but "were denied entry to the grounds." "Tonight's game will be played as scheduled," the organization said, in reference to the upcoming match against the San Diego Padres.

The LA Times detailed that it's not clear what kind of operation agents were seeking to carry out or if anyone was arrested. They did not give precisions to a reporter who asked what was their purpose there.

The outlet added that the Dodgers have been under pressure to come out in support of Los Angeles' immigrant community, especially since the Trump administration began conducting enforcement raids earlier this month. The team anticipated it would announce plans to assist those affected by the recent incidents.

In this context, Democratic lawmakers are decrying conditions at an ICE detention center in the state where migrants were taken after the raids.

Concretely, Rep. Judy Chu said she and other colleagues visited the Adelanto facility on Tuesday after being turned away two weeks before. They toured detention cells, the kitchen and medical facilities.

"We were able to speak to some of the detainees. They told us they didn't get a change of clothes for 10 days, not even underwear," she said. "They had the same towel to wash themselves over and over."

Chu recalled the ordeal of a man who claimed to be detained in his store after being detained by federal agents. "They took him to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he was kept in a room, not given food for 12 hours, unable to contact any family member or legal representative," she told Noticias Telemundo.

"He didn't have any phone conversations during that period until being taken to the Santa Ana Detention Center and then to Adelanto," Chu added. She claimed that the center's population went from 350 to 1,200 in 10 days in June. She suggested that those who had family members detained contact nonprofits like ACLU, CHIRLA and Immigrant Defenders, as well as consular offices.