The Los Angeles Dodgers released a statement claiming they had denied access to their stadium parking lot to agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after calls to speak out against deportations.
Online influencers and some in the mainstream media had mounted a pressure campaign after noticing the baseball team had not made a statement against ICE deportations after the rioting in Los Angeles.
‘This is an organization inextricably linked with the community, so people are wondering, why are they now tone-deaf and falling short?’
On Thursday, local media reported that ICE agents were seen at the stadium, prompting a small anti-ICE protest to respond to the incident. Some speculated that the team was cooperating with federal authorities on aiding with deportations.
KABC-TV captured video of dozens of masked federal agents at the staging area just outside of Gate E at the stadium.
The team responded on social media very soon after.
“This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots,” read the statement. “They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.”
They also posted the statement in Spanish.
Later in the day, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement undermining the claim from the Dodgers.
“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement,” reads the DHS statement.
RELATED: California city terminates agreement with ICE as Los Angeles rioting continues into 4th day
“Forty percent of the Dodgers fans are Latino, but the team has been silent as protests against ICE have raged in their city. Now, some folks are talking boycott,” reported Sam Stein of MSNBC.
“The Dodgers, where a young Chicano like myself saw themselves, birthed one of the most, if not the most, dedicated fan base,” wrote CNN journalist Nick Valencia. “This is an organization inextricably linked with the community, so people are wondering, why are they now tone-deaf and falling short?”
In 2023, the Los Angeles team faced significant pressure from the other side when they decided to honor the anti-Christian LGBTQ group named “the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” with a community service award during a game. Hundreds of protesters forced the team to cancel the event, but counterpressure from the left led to the team apologizing and reinviting the group.
Editor’s note: This article has been edited after publication to include additional information from DHS.
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