California official criticized for appearing to call on gangs to intervene in immigration raids
Jun 25, 2025, 8:56 AM | Updated: 11:58 am
FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2018, file photo, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents gather before serving an employment audit notice at a 7-Eleven convenience store, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
CUDAHY, Calif. (AP) 鈥� The vice mayor of a tiny Southern California city is under fire after appearing to call on street gangs to organize in the face of immigration sweeps by federal agents in Los Angeles.
In a video post on social media that鈥檚 since been deleted, Cynthia Gonzalez, vice mayor of Cudahy, said she wanted to know where all of the gang members were 鈥渁t in Los Angeles.鈥�
鈥淵ou guys are always tagging everything up, claiming hood, and now that your hood鈥檚 being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain鈥檛 a peep out of you,鈥� Gonzalez said, using a disparaging term often aimed at Mexican men who are members of street gangs.
She further referenced 鈥�18th Street鈥� and 鈥淔lorence,鈥� two infamous street gangs, and questioned why gang members were not protesting or speaking up about the immigration raids.
鈥淲e鈥檙e out there fighting our turf, protecting our turf, protecting our people and, like, where you at?鈥� she said.
The video seemed to suggest Gonzalez was calling on gang leaders to 鈥渉elp out and organize鈥� as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies participate in the Trump administration’s stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws.
The Department of Homeland Security called Gonzalez’s comments 鈥渄espicable.鈥�
鈥淪he calls for criminal gangs 鈥� including the vicious 18th street gang 鈥� to commit violence against our brave U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement law enforcement,鈥� the department said in a post on X that included Gonzalez’s video. 鈥淭his kind of garbage has led to a more than 500% increase in assaults against our U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement law enforcement officers. Secretary Noem has been clear: If you assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.鈥�
Gonzalez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The city of Cudahy said in a statement Tuesday it was aware of the video.
鈥淭he comments made by the Vice Mayor reflect her personal views and do not represent the views or official position of the City of Cudahy,鈥� the statement read. 鈥淭he City will not be providing further comment.鈥�
Cudahy is a Los Angeles suburb with 22,000 residents, about 10 miles (16.09 kilometers) south of downtown LA.
