A dispute has emerged between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), unfolding just hours after the team said it would be announcing new initiatives aimed at supporting immigrant communities in Southern California. The development comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensifies its efforts in the region to identify and arrest individuals who are unlawfully in the United States.
Dodgers deny entry to federal agents
The Dodgers, on Thursday, June 19, posted to X, saying, “ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.”
ICE responded directly, saying, “False. We were never there.”
DHS responds with clarification
Straight Arrow News reached out to DHS asking for clarification about why ICE agents would’ve been at the Dodgers’ parking lot.
DHS only replied with a response from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who said, “This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement.”
Understanding the agencies’ roles
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE both fall under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but each agency has different missions, responsibilities and areas of operation.
CBP is responsible for border protection, including the entry of people and goods into the country, as well as stopping illegal entry and smuggling at the border. ICE operates within the interior of the country and is responsible for immigration enforcement, detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.
Legal boundaries and geography
CBP agents have the right to stop and search vehicles without a warrant if they are looking for people who may not have legal immigration documents.
They can do this within 100 miles of U.S. borders and the entire U.S. coastline. Dodger Stadium is 136 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border and approximately 18 miles from the nearest U.S. coastline.
However, the Dodgers stadium and parking lot are private property, and federal agents generally need a judicial warrant to enter private property.
CBP presence at stadium confirmed
Masked CBP agents could be seen near the downtown parking lot entrance to Dodger Stadium on Thursday. DHS said they were there unrelated to any enforcement.
Ali Bradley, a reporter with NewsNation, posted on X that she spoke with sources from U.S. Customs and Border Protection who confirmed that CBP teams were present at the Home Depot in Hollywood to conduct apprehensions. However, the agents later decided to relocate the transfer operation and moved to an open parking lot at Dodger Stadium, where they completed the transfers.
According to Bradley, the agents stated that no one told them to leave the Home Depot premises.
The Dodgers said their game against the San Diego Padres on Thursday evening would still be played as scheduled. Straight Arrow News reached out to the Dodgers for comment and have not yet received a reply.
contributed to this report.