Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced Thursday that his office is launching a formal investigation into the financial networks and organizations allegedly supporting violent anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles, calling the unrest “coordinated, not spontaneous.”
The decision follows months of escalating clashes in the city between protesters and federal immigration agents, as demonstrators—many wearing tactical-style gear—have staged repeated confrontations over ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
Months of Unrest Raise Questions About Coordination
Los Angeles has been the site of near-nightly protests since ICE increased enforcement raids across Southern California earlier this year. What began as peaceful demonstrations calling for immigration reform has, at times, devolved into chaos — with rioters vandalizing federal property, blocking roads, and confronting police and National Guard units.
Footage circulating online shows protesters wearing coordinated gear, including reinforced masks, industrial-grade goggles, padded vests, and noise-canceling headphones — equipment typically associated with professional-grade riot preparation rather than spontaneous activism.
Even local outlets that typically sympathize with progressive causes have questioned where the demonstrators are getting the funds for such specialized gear.
“This kind of equipment isn’t cheap,” one Los Angeles reporter noted. “You don’t walk into a protest with $300 headgear and ballistic protection unless someone is bankrolling it.”
The growing speculation over who’s footing the bill has now reached Capitol Hill.
Hawley Opens Senate Inquiry
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Sen. Hawley said he intends to use his panel’s subpoena power to identify the money trail behind the riots, alleging that “organized networks” may be deliberately fueling violence under the guise of activism.
“Who is funding the LA riots?” Hawley wrote in a public statement on X. “This violence isn’t spontaneous. These groups are well-coordinated and well-funded, and the American people deserve to know where the money is coming from.”
In a formal letter obtained by reporters, Hawley addressed the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has received federal grant funding during the Biden administration. While CHIRLA presents itself as an immigrant advocacy group, critics claim its affiliates have been tied to several of the more aggressive anti-ICE demonstrations.
Hawley’s letter accuses the organization of potential misuse of taxpayer funds and calls for a full accounting of any financial or logistical support provided to protesters.
Demands for Transparency
The letter requests CHIRLA Executive Director Angélica Salas to submit extensive documentation regarding her group’s activities leading up to the protests. Among the materials requested are:
All communications related to protest planning or coordination
Financial records connected to the purchase of protest gear, including helmets, shields, and communications equipment
Donor lists and grant applications submitted since January 2025
Travel, lodging, and media coordination expenses tied to demonstration efforts
Hawley warned that failure to comply with the Senate inquiry could trigger criminal referrals.
“While peaceful protest is a cornerstone of American democracy, what we’ve witnessed in Los Angeles goes far beyond that,” the senator wrote. “These events have turned into organized acts of intimidation and violence — obstructing law enforcement and endangering public safety. This lawlessness cannot and will not be ignored.”
A Pattern of Escalation
The anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles began as part of a broader movement opposing deportations of undocumented immigrants with outstanding removal orders. But tensions escalated in mid-September when protesters surrounded a federal detention van outside a courthouse, blocking officers from leaving the scene for nearly an hour.
Police reports describe protesters using “strategic blockades” and “defensive formations” — tactics more typical of organized civil unrest than of peaceful protest. Federal agents were forced to deploy crowd-control measures, including tear gas and non-lethal rounds, to disperse the crowd.
The following week, violence flared again when ICE agents conducting a workplace raid in East Los Angeles were met by a large, pre-mobilized group of demonstrators. Several officers were struck with objects, and vehicles were damaged.
“These aren’t isolated incidents,” one Homeland Security source said. “You don’t get this level of coordination without planning. There are printed maps, prearranged meeting spots, and people with communication headsets directing others. It’s very organized.”
Biden Administration Funding Under Scrutiny
One of the most politically sensitive elements of Hawley’s investigation is the allegation that groups tied to federal grant programs may be indirectly supporting these demonstrations.
Several nonprofit organizations involved in immigration activism have received substantial funding from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden administration, ostensibly to support immigrant integration and humanitarian outreach.
Republicans argue that insufficient oversight allows funds to be diverted toward activities that blur the line between advocacy and agitation.
“Taxpayer dollars should not be flowing to groups that enable or excuse violence,” Hawley said. “If the federal government is financing organizations that are supporting riots, we need to know immediately.”
The Biden administration has not publicly responded to the senator’s letter. However, DHS officials have previously denied any direct connection between federal grant money and protest activity, insisting that all funding undergoes a strict review process.
Local Officials Caught in the Middle
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and city law enforcement leaders have expressed frustration with both federal and state responses to the unrest. While Bass has called for restraint and “mutual understanding,” police unions have demanded tougher enforcement and criticized what they describe as political hesitation from city leaders.
“We’re doing our best to keep order,” one LAPD officer told local reporters. “But it’s tough when we have protesters showing up with better gear than some of our guys.”
Meanwhile, community activists insist that the protests are being exaggerated by political figures like Hawley to score points against immigrant-rights movements.
“We’re being smeared as violent radicals,” one protest organizer said. “We have every right to demand humane immigration policies and to protest ICE’s heavy-handed tactics.”
A Test of Accountability
The Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, chaired by Hawley, has broad authority to investigate issues relating to organized violence, foreign influence, and the misuse of public funds. The Missouri senator has built a reputation for pursuing aggressive oversight of what he views as politically motivated or lawless actions by progressive groups.
Political observers say the probe could deepen partisan divides in Washington, especially as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Democrats are expected to portray Hawley’s investigation as an attack on free speech and grassroots activism, while Republicans will likely frame it as a necessary defense of public safety and the rule of law.
“This is about accountability,” Hawley said. “No one is above the law — not violent agitators, not government-funded organizations, and not the officials who look the other way.”
As tensions continue to simmer in Los Angeles, both sides appear braced for a prolonged fight — one that extends far beyond the streets and straight into the halls of Congress.
