ICE Grabs U.S. Citizen in L.A.—LAPD Stood By?
Videos of ICE arrests are surfacing across California, but this one is drawing a lot of attention. It involves 32-year-old Andrea Velez, an American citizen, who was snatched off the street in downtown Los Angeles as she arrived for work. The difference here? LAPD officers stood by and watched as ICE agents put her into a SUV.
Let’s Get In Sync
📌For 24 hours, her family had no idea where she was, how she was doing, or how to reach her.
📌Attorneys were hired to track down Velez in a detention faciliy.
📌As of last night, prosecutors had not told the family what she’s been charged with.
📌However, federal officials released a statement Wednesday stating that Velez was “arrested for assaulting an ICE enforcement officer.”
📌 Her attorneys say she was targeted only because of her skin color.
📌Velez is due in court today and her attorneys hope to get her released from detainment.
As for the LAPD, they issued a statement saying officers initially responded to a call of a possible kidnapping. But once they realized it was an immigration operation, they say they assisted with crowd control. No arrests were made.
Most Arrested in LA ICE Raids Had No Criminal Record
New data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement shows that a majority of undocumented immigrants arrested in Los Angeles in early June were not convicted criminals.
Between June 1 and June 10, ICE arrested 722 individuals in the Los Angeles region.
69% had no prior criminal convictions
58% had never even been charged with a crime
The analysis conducted by the Los Angeles Times, shows that most of those arrested were working-age men, with an average age of 38, and nearly half were from Mexico.
DHS: Border Crossings Plummet
The Trump Administration’s border enforcement plan appears to be having an immediate effect.
New data from the Department of Homeland Security shows that border crossings have plummeted, likely in response to the administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration.
From June 1 through June 22, DHS officials report 5,414 apprehensions along the U.S.–Mexico border, that’s a 43% drop from 9,577 arrests in May.
So why the decrease? Trump Administration officials think it’s fairly clear that its policies are working:
“Migrants are turning back because they know the reality is they will ultimately leave in handcuffs,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Why MAGA Is Freaking Out About Zohran Mamdani
On Tuesday night in New York City, Democratic voters may have sketched out a blueprint for what’s next. They didn’t look back. They left scandal-plagued former Governor Andrew Cuomo behind and rallied around 33-year-old state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race.
He’s young, Muslim, and proudly calls himself a Democratic Socialist, which, let’s be honest, is enough to send MAGA into full meltdown mode. Just check your social feeds.
But it’s not just the label.
Mamdani has been outspoken about Israeli policies and U.S. military funding, especially during the current Gaza conflict. He’s unapologetically progressive, rooted in grassroots movements, and championing a vision of Scandinavian-style social democracy (think healthcare, housing, and public transit for all).
To the far right, Mamdani isn’t just a far-left, politician, he’s a warning sign:
A multiracial, younger generation
A direct challenge to the status quo
And a version of America they no longer recognize
So, strap on your safety belts, we still have four months to go until the November 4, general election. Mamdani will face Incumbent mayor Eric Adams, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and possibly even Cuomo again if he decides to run as an independent.
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Transgender Athletes Battle- Deadline Looms
⏳10 Days. That’s how long California has to change course—or face “imminent action” from the Trump administration. This time, the battlefront is over transgender athletes in school sports.
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Department of Education ended its investigation and ruled that California is violating the civil rights of female students by allowing transgender athletes to compete based on gender identity.
🚨Why It Matters
Federal officials say both the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) are engaged in “unlawful practices” under Title IX. The federal government ordered California to:
Ban transgender athletes from girls' and women’s school sports
Strip them of all records, titles, and awards
Re-award those honors to athletes who lost to them
Issue formal apologies to the affected competitors
CIF Track and Field Championships May 2025
This all stems from President Trump’s outrage after transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed in three events at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships. Last month, he threatened to cut federal funding to California—and now, the Department of Education is following through..
Governor Gavin Newsom—who has said it’s “deeply unfair” to allow transgender athletes to compete in female sports—responded in a social media post to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s decision, saying that California will continue the course.
Linda’s back in the ring — confusing the law with personal opinions.
California follows the law. In this case, it’s a law signed in 2013 that 21 other states similarly follow.
The Trump Administration may follow the law based on one man’s whims. California does not.
— #Governor Newsom Press Office (#@GovPressOffice)
9:13 PM • Jun 25, 2025
What’s Next
📊 Roughly 49,000 transgender youth, ages 13 to 17, live in California—many of them participating in school sports programs across the state.
It’s unclear how this legal showdown will play out. California is already locked in multiple court battles with the Trump administration, and this case could go all the way to the Supreme Court.
But one thing’s certain: This decision could redefine how schools, states, and the federal government interpret fairness, inclusion, and gender in youth sports.
Before You Go
Time to grab your suit and hit the road. Two California gems just topped Outside Magazine’s list of best national park swimming holes—Muir Rock ranked No. 1 and Bass Lake No. 2, no less.
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