Senator Hawley Launches Investigation into Alleged Funding Behind Los Angeles Immigration Riots

Calls for a federal investigation into the financial backing of the recent Los Angeles riots have now reached the U.S. Senate. On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) became the first Republican lawmaker to publicly demand answers, raising questions about the source of funding behind the increasingly violent demonstrations in the city.

Tensions in Los Angeles escalated dramatically following a major immigration enforcement operation carried out over the weekend by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Protesters have taken to the streets wearing high-end protective gear — including advanced face shields, tactical earphones, and body armor — raising suspicions that the demonstrations were not spontaneous but carefully orchestrated.

Even some members of the mainstream media in Los Angeles, who often lean progressive, have begun questioning how such expensive gear is making its way into the hands of protesters, particularly those who clash directly with law enforcement and federal agents. This growing curiosity has sparked calls for deeper scrutiny, especially over the funding channels that may have enabled it.

Senator Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, announced on social media that he would be opening a formal inquiry into the matter.

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

In a letter sent Wednesday, Hawley addressed Angelica Salas, the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has received federal and state funding. The group is also known for organizing and supporting multiple rallies, some of which have allegedly devolved into violent altercations with police.

“Peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy,” Hawley’s letter read. “But when protests turn into lawless mobs that interfere with federal operations, endanger civilians, and challenge the rule of law, they cease to be protests—they become criminal acts. This lawlessness cannot be tolerated.”

The senator’s subcommittee, which holds subpoena authority, is requesting that CHIRLA provide documentation detailing its communications and financial activity related to the recent protests. Specific records being demanded include:

• Communications involving protest logistics

• Equipment purchase receipts

• Grant applications and funding disclosures

• Travel and lodging arrangements for participants

• Internal planning documents and media strategy guides

• Donor lists and affiliations

Hawley warned that failure to comply could result in further legal consequences, including possible criminal referral.

Adding to the growing controversy, a recent report identified CHIRLA as one of the key organizations involved in coordinating anti-ICE demonstrations throughout Los Angeles. The group has a long history of advocating for immigration reform and previously led a campaign to abolish ICE in 2018. CHIRLA also manages the Los Angeles Rapid Response Network, which tracks immigration enforcement actions and mobilizes activists in response.

Conservative attorney Laura Powell, in a widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter), criticized the use of public funds by CHIRLA and suggested that taxpayer money may be indirectly supporting street-level confrontations.

“If you’re a Californian, you should know your tax dollars are at work in these riots,” Powell wrote. “CHIRLA received $34 million from the state in the last fiscal year alone, mostly through the Department of Social Services — nearly triple the amount from the previous year.”

Powell further noted CHIRLA’s strong political connections within the California Democratic establishment. The organization has lobbied on behalf of Democratic candidates and maintains close ties with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Additionally, CHIRLA is linked with labor unions such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), whose president, David Huerta, was recently arrested for obstructing ICE operations.

On Friday, CHIRLA hosted a rally in protest of ICE activities and Huerta’s arrest, despite increasing tensions and public concern about the group’s involvement in the unrest.

The controversy has reached beyond state lines. According to Powell, CHIRLA also secured a $450,000 federal contract in 2023 — a deal Mayor Bass publicly claimed to have helped arrange. However, the Department of Homeland Security froze the funding earlier this year, prompting CHIRLA to file a lawsuit. The contract was ultimately canceled, and the lawsuit later dropped.

“President Eisenhower once warned about the military-industrial complex,” Powell concluded. “Now we are facing a nonprofit-industrial complex, where ideological activism is propped up by taxpayer money.”

As the Senate inquiry gains momentum, the broader implications remain uncertain. But one thing is clear — what began as street protests in Los Angeles may soon become the focus of a much larger national investigation.