Two organizations spearheading anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles have concerning financial and political connections that raise questions about the groups leading opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
The revelations expose how taxpayer dollars and foreign influence have funded groups now actively resisting federal law enforcement operations.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) received substantial government funding while simultaneously protesting the very agencies that provided those grants.
Financial records obtained by DataRepublican reveal that the organization collected nearly $34 million in government grants during fiscal year 2023.
Most of CHIRLA’s funding came from California state sources, representing a dramatic increase from the $12 million the group received in the previous fiscal year.
This nearly three-fold jump in government funding occurred during a period when the organization intensified its opposition to federal immigration policies.
The organization also secured approximately $450,000 in federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security between October 2021 and September 2024.
These DHS grants were specifically designated for “citizenship education and training” programs, creating an ironic situation in which the department funded an organization that would later organize protests against its own operations.
The department subsequently severed ties with CHIRLA and terminated all future funding arrangements in March, including retrieving nearly $101,000 in unpaid funds that had been allocated but not yet distributed.
CHIRLA organized a rally last week to oppose ICE operations targeting illegal migrants throughout Los Angeles, according to a report from the New York Post.
Violence escalated dramatically following the initial protests, with more than 1,000 demonstrators taking to the streets in unprecedented numbers.
The Department of Homeland Security reported that rioters engaged in multiple acts of violence and vandalism, including assaulting immigration officers, slashing vehicle tires and defacing public buildings throughout the area.
President Trump deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops on Sunday to address the escalating violence and restore order to the region.
A CHIRLA spokesperson issued a statement Sunday denying the organization’s involvement in violent activities.
The Post highlighted that the representative said CHIRLA “organized a press event on Thursday” and deployed “legal observers to immigration courts and detention centers” as part of the LA Rapid Response Network.
“We have not participated, coordinated, or been part of the protests being registered in Los Angeles other than the press conference and rally cited above,” the spokesperson stated.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation represents another group involved in the protests, bringing a distinctly radical element to the demonstrations.
This self-described Marxist organization previously participated in virulent anti-Israel demonstrations at Columbia University and maintains documented connections to suspected Washington DC terrorist Elias Rodriguez, adding a concerning dimension to their involvement.
PSL receives significant funding through established connections to the Chinese Communist Party, according to detailed research findings.
The Network Contagion Research Institute documented these troubling ties in a comprehensive 2024 report linking the group to socialist billionaire Neville Singham and his wife, Jodie Evans, who founded the activist organization Code Pink.
Singham established his extensive funding network after selling his software company ThoughtWorks for $785 million in 2017, subsequently investing millions in various organizations that advance pro-China messaging.
The New York Times published an extensive investigative report in 2023 detailing Singham’s sophisticated funding operations and their reach, the Post explained.
The comprehensive investigation documented his deep connections to Chinese government interests and Communist propaganda efforts spanning from South Africa and Ghana to Brazil and New Delhi, revealing the scope of foreign influence in American activist movements.
Friday’s riots erupted as federal authorities resumed immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration.
Border czar Tom Homan reported “around 150” arrests during recent enforcement activities.
Confrontations occurred when demonstrators attempted to interfere with ICE operations. Officers deployed tear gas and other crowd control measures to maintain order during the enforcement actions.
United States Attorney Bill Essayli reported more than twelve arrests on Saturday.
