Labor leader David Huerta pleads not guilty to charges of obstructing ICE raid in Los Angeles

On Jun. 6, 2025, federal agents arrested David Huerta, president of SEIU 🌴California—the state's largest union representing more than 45,000 workers—during a protest outside Ambiance Apparel in downtown Los Angeles. ICE agents were executing a workplace enforcement warrant at the garment factory when Huerta arrived to observe and document the raid. Federal prosecutors charged him with felony obstruction of a federal officer, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison.

Prosecutors claim Huerta blocked a gate and vehicle entrance while ICE agents tried to leave, and that he pushed a federal officer. Huerta's defense team argues he was exercising his First Amendment right to observe law enforcement activity and document potential civil rights violations. Federal agents tackled Huerta, pepper-sprayed him, and held him for three nights at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles before releasing him on bond.

On Oct. 15, 2025, federal prosecutors reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor, lowering Huerta's maximum sentence from six years to one year. The U.S. Attorney's Office didn't explain why they downgraded the charge. Legal experts suggested prosecutors may have faced challenges proving felony-level obstruction when Huerta was engaged in protected First Amendment activity.

Huerta pleaded not guilty on Nov. 25-26, 2025, in federal court in Los Angeles. His trial is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026. Huerta called the charges "baseless" and said they represent "weaponization of the justice system." He told reporters, "They are an attempt to silence anyone who dares to speak out, organize, or demand justice for working people."

Congresswoman Maxine Waters attended Huerta's arraignment to show support. The AFL-CIO, SEIU national leadership, and dozens of other labor organizations issued statements condemning the charges as political retaliation designed to intimidate union organizers. Labor leaders pointed out that observing workplace enforcement actions is a common practice for union representatives protecting workers' rights during ICE raids.

The case raises critical questions about the limits of protest rights when federal agents conduct enforcement operations. Huerta's defense focuses on his constitutional right to observe government activity in public spaces rather than invoking National Labor Relations Act protections for union organizing. This strategy suggests his lawyers believe First Amendment arguments will be stronger than labor law protections in federal court.

Legal scholars note that the prosecution comes during a period of heightened workplace immigration enforcement. Workers' rights advocates worry that charging union leaders with crimes for observing ICE raids will create a chilling effect, making organizers afraid to document enforcement actions where workers may face civil rights violations. The outcome could set precedent for how federal prosecutors treat labor activists who monitor government enforcement operations.

The timing of the trial—Jan. 20, 2026—falls exactly on the first anniversary of the current administration taking office. Labor organizers have called this "symbolic intimidation," though federal prosecutors say the date is coincidental and based on court scheduling. More than 200 labor organizations have pledged to send observers to the trial and organize solidarity actions outside the courthouse.