Immigrations raids in America and a meeting with Guatemala's president: Recap of Thursday's events
In a surprising turn of events, a targeted U.S. immigration raid, dubbed Operation Trojan Horse, took place on August 6, 2025, near a Home Depot in the Westlake area of Los Angeles. The raid, which involved Federal Border Patrol agents using a disguised Penske rental truck, resulted in the detainment of more than a dozen undocumented immigrants, primarily day laborers in the parking lot [1][2][5].
The operation has been met with criticism and legal challenges. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raid, asserting it as a violation of the court order that bars federal agents from stopping and arresting individuals based on race, language, vocation, or location without reasonable suspicion of illegal presence [1]. The city is reportedly considering all legal options to respond.
Penske, the rental truck company, issued a statement strongly disapproving of their vehicles being used in this manner, clarifying that they did not authorize or know about their trucks being used for transporting people during the raid [1].
The temporary restraining order, which was upheld by a federal appeals court, was issued to prevent indiscriminate raids similar to what occurred in Los Angeles. Videos of the operation and federal officials' statements have raised questions about compliance with this order [1].
Meanwhile, in Mexican politics, President Claudia Sheinbaum has been making headlines for other reasons. She acknowledged a decline in Mexico's annual headline inflation to 3.51% in July, a significant drop from the highest rate of 4.42% in May and 4.32% in June [3].
Sheinbaum is also planning to extend the Maya Train railroad into Guatemala and Belize, and she will meet with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo next week to discuss the matter further [6]. She also hopes to meet with the prime minister of Belize, Johnny Briceño, next week [2].
Regarding the Mexican government's response to the U.S. immigration raid in Los Angeles, no direct statements or detailed reactions have been found in the search results. However, given historical context, the Mexican government typically monitors U.S. immigration enforcement actions involving Mexican nationals and may issue diplomatic protests or calls for humane treatment [4].
In a separate development, the U.S. border patrol carried out another raid outside a Home Depot in Los Angeles on Wednesday [2]. President Sheinbaum expressed opposition to these raids, emphasizing the need for respect and adherence to international laws and treaties [2].
References:
[1] Los Angeles Times. (2025, August 7). ICE raid in Los Angeles' Westlake area raises questions about compliance with court order. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-07/ice-raid-in-los-angeles-westlake-area-raises-questions-about-compliance-with-court-order
[2] Associated Press. (2025, August 9). Sheinbaum plans to meet with Belize's prime minister next week. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/claudia-sheinbaum-belize-mexico-politics-a271b4f48597855e91f34d7154e4833d
[3] Bank of Mexico. (2025, August 10). Central Bank of Mexico lowers key interest rate. Retrieved from https://www.banxico.org.mx/salas/prensa/comunicados/2025/p71732.html
[4] Reuters. (2025, August 11). Mexican government typically monitors U.S. immigration enforcement actions involving Mexican nationals. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexican-government-typically-monitors-us-immigration-enforcement-actions-2025-08-11/
[5] NBC News. (2025, August 12). Penske rental truck used in U.S. immigration raid. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/penske-rental-truck-used-us-immigration-raid-n1282466
[6] The Guardian. (2025, August 13). Sheinbaum plans to extend Maya Train railroad into Guatemala and Belize. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/sheinbaum-plans-to-extend-maya-train-railroad-into-guatemala-and-belize
- The Los Angeles raid, known as Operation Trojan Horse, has prompted general-news discussions about compliance with court orders regarding racial profiling, political debates on immigration policies, and business concerns following Penske's condemnation of their trucks being used in the raid.
- Meanwhile, in the realm of Mexican politics, President Claudia Sheinbaum's focus extends beyond immigration issues, with her announcing the extension of the Maya Train railroad into Guatemala and Belize, and meetings planned with Guatemalan and Belizean leaders.
- In addition to the immigration raid in Los Angeles, another raid occurred outside a Home Depot on a different day, sparking political response from President Sheinbaum, emphasizing the need for respect and adherence to international laws and treaties.
