Rep. Issa calls for an investigation into LAPD’s alleged two-hour delay responding to ICE agents attacked by rioters.

GOP Lawmaker Seeks Answers on LAPD’s ICE Response

California Republican Congressman Darrell Issa is calling for a full congressional investigation into the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) response to a violent incident involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed in a press release that it took LAPD two hours to respond to ICE agents under attack by rioters in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night.

“Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property,” DHS stated. “It took the Los Angeles Police Department two hours to respond.”

Issa, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued a press statement Tuesday demanding accountability. “We need to know if the political leadership of the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, or anyone else instructed the LAPD to stand down and not respond to the emergency requests of our ICE agents who were under attack by rioters determined to block them, burn them, or even kill them as they bravely carried out their sworn duties,” he said.

Disputed Timelines and Political Tensions

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell rejected DHS’s timeline at a Sunday press conference, saying the department’s response time was closer to 40 minutes and attributing the delay to traffic conditions. “When we heard that, I think anybody who's a police officer couldn't believe it,” McDonnell told reporters. “It didn’t happen.”

DHS, however, stood by its version of events. “The fact remains that it took the Los Angeles Police Department two hours to respond,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a follow-up statement. She praised LAPD for later efforts but emphasized the initial delay endangered federal officers.

The incident occurred amid escalating unrest in Los Angeles following immigration enforcement actions. While some protests were peaceful, others quickly turned violent, with rioters reportedly throwing projectiles and fireworks at law enforcement, damaging property, and causing injuries to officers and animals.

On Monday, LAPD reported 50 arrests connected to the riots, with charges including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. Five LAPD officers and five mounted patrol horses sustained minor injuries.

Calls for Oversight Intensify

The standoff between local and federal accounts has amplified political tensions. Republicans have sharply criticized California’s Democratic leadership for referring to the demonstrations as “peaceful” and for allegedly undermining federal law enforcement. DHS’s press release framed the event as an assault on ICE agents “carrying out their sworn duties.”

The congressional inquiry sought by Issa would aim to determine whether any directives from state or local leadership contributed to a delayed response. The incident adds to ongoing national debates over the role of local agencies in federal immigration enforcement and the politicization of public safety during periods of civil unrest.

As Congress weighs possible hearings, the incident is expected to remain a focal point in broader discussions around immigration policy, law enforcement coordination, and emergency response accountability in major U.S. cities.