Senator Hawley Demands Probe Into Alleged Funding Behind Los Angeles Riots

Calls for an investigation into the financial networks potentially fueling the recent unrest in Los Angeles have now reached the halls of the U.S. Senate. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) became the first Republican lawmaker to publicly demand a formal inquiry, raising concerns that the violent demonstrations may be more coordinated—and funded—than they appear.

Violent protests erupted in the city following a recent immigration enforcement operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In the days since, disturbing footage has surfaced showing protesters wearing expensive tactical gear, including noise-canceling headphones, full-face shields, and padded vests—raising questions about how such items were obtained and who paid for them.

Even mainstream media outlets in Los Angeles, which often support immigrant advocacy, have openly criticized the appearance of organized efforts behind the protester equipment—gear that not only shields demonstrators from law enforcement but also obscures their identities from surveillance and crowd-control systems.

Hawley Launches Inquiry into Protest Coordination

On Wednesday, Senator Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, announced his intent to initiate an official investigation into the financial and organizational mechanisms behind the protests.

“This violence isn’t spontaneous,” Hawley posted on social media. “Who is funding the LA riots?”

His concerns were echoed in a formal letter addressed to Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), an L.A.-based nonprofit organization. CHIRLA has received funding from the federal government and has been linked to multiple pro-immigration rallies, some of which reportedly turned confrontational.

Subpoenas and Document Demands

In the letter, Hawley stated that while peaceful protest is a core American right, the current situation had devolved into “lawless mob actions” that endangered public safety and obstructed federal law enforcement operations.

He went on to request a range of documents and records from CHIRLA, including:

• Internal communications related to protest planning

• Financial records detailing the purchase of protective gear

• Donor lists and funding sources

• Hotel, travel, and transportation records

• Grant applications and strategic outreach materials

Hawley warned that failure to comply with the document request could result in legal consequences, including a referral for criminal investigation.

“This lawlessness is unacceptable. It must end,” the senator wrote, adding that his subcommittee is prepared to use its subpoena power to compel cooperation.

CHIRLA’s Role Under Scrutiny

Public attention turned sharply toward CHIRLA after California attorney Laura Powell shared details online suggesting that the organization may be playing a more active role in coordinating the protests than previously known.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Powell wrote: “The current LA riots are an example of your tax dollars hard at work. CHIRLA is a central player in fomenting the violent response to immigration enforcement actions.”

Powell pointed out that CHIRLA leads the Los Angeles Rapid Response Network, a group that monitors immigration enforcement activity and dispatches activists to affected areas. She also emphasized CHIRLA’s longstanding political influence in California, citing its support for the abolition of ICE in 2018 and its involvement in state-level lobbying efforts through its political advocacy arm.

Deep Political Ties and Financial Backing

Powell also noted CHIRLA’s close relationship with key California Democrats, particularly Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, as well as its connections to organized labor—another major political force in the state.

What has drawn the most scrutiny, however, is the organization’s funding.

According to a financial audit obtained by Powell, CHIRLA received $34 million in taxpayer-funded support from the California Department of Social Services for the fiscal year ending June 2023. That figure reportedly represents 72% of CHIRLA’s total revenue, marking a nearly threefold increase over the previous year.

Additionally, CHIRLA was awarded a $450,000 federal contract in 2023, which Mayor Bass publicly credited herself with helping secure. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later froze the funding in February, prompting CHIRLA to file a lawsuit. The case was eventually dropped after the contract was canceled.

“Eisenhower once warned of the military-industrial complex,” Powell commented. “Today, we’re facing a nonprofit-industrial complex, where taxpayer-funded activism is weaponized against law enforcement and federal authority.”

What Comes Next?

As tensions remain high in Los Angeles and other cities watching the situation unfold, Hawley’s investigation may mark the beginning of broader federal scrutiny into nonprofit involvement in civil unrest. Whether the inquiry leads to formal hearings, criminal referrals, or funding changes for advocacy organizations remains to be seen.

In the meantime, CHIRLA and similar groups are likely to face mounting pressure to disclose the extent of their involvement in protest organization—and how exactly taxpayer dollars are being used in the process.