Tension between Los Angeles Dodgers and the Trump Administration arises over the involvement of federal agents at Dodger Stadium.
Tension Erupts Between Los Angeles Dodgers and Federal Agents
The Dodgers and the feds are locking horns over an incident at Dodger Stadium. Reports swirled that federal agents invaded the stadium's premises out in downtown LA, sparking worries that the federal crackdown on immigration was about to hit the World Series champs just before a game against the San Diego Padres. Protesters flooded the area, blasting anti-ICE chants at the federal agents.
The Dodgers then spilled the beans that ICE had paysanne to the stadium and eye-balled the grounds - a demand that the team flat-out rejected.
"This morning, ICE goons came knocking at Dodger Stadium and pleaded for access to our parking lots. They got the boot from our organization. Tonight's game is still a go," the team declared on X.
But it didn't take long for the Department of Homeland Security to clear the air. Those pesky feds who were snuggled up to Dodger Stadium weren't linked to ICE and their presence was unrelated to the immigration melee that's been throwing Los Angeles for a loop.
US Customs and Border Protection vehicles were parked in a nearby squared-off area close to the stadium grounds, and one of them had a meltdown that made them linger longer, according to a CBP official who verified that the vehicles weren't up to any tricks with the MLB club.
In the recent past, swarms of CBP agents have descended upon the Los Angeles area amidst protests against President Trump's immigration enforcement plan. The Department of Homeland Security once-overed agency personnel to the region, including border cops, to respond to those protests, and a few of them have stayed put in the neighborhood.
"This had zilch to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles briefly trotted into the stadium parking lot, sans any connection to any operation or takedown related to the ball club," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin spilled in a statement.
Dodger Stadium resides smack-dab in an isolated hood in the middle of a major city. The stadium rests in the Elysian Park district of LA and is cordoned off from main roads by winding roads that lead to the acres of parking lots that wrap around the stadium. It's unclear just which parking lot the federal agents hunkered down in when their wheels fell off - there are truckloads of parking lots on stadium property, and some of the parking lots outside are reserved for overflow and staff when the grounds are bustling.
KABC did the world a favor and flashed footage of federal agents standing guard on one of the streets that lead up to the stadium, and CNN's shotgun reporters reached out to ICE for comments.
The whole shebang is a prime example of the anxiety brewing in Los Angeles these days with Trump's immigration crackdown causing protests against ICE and mounting pressure on the Dodgers to do more to back their fans, a sizeable portion of which is Latino.
The Dodgers are set to dish the details of their plan to pamper the immigrant community impacted by the recent round of immigration operations later on June 19.
The team is set to lock horns with the San Diego Padres in LA that same day, as well as host a celebrity softball game led by star player Mookie Betts in honor of Black Heritage Night. The Dodgers have been luring in more than 50,000 fans per game this season, making them the sole team drawing in such a crowd[1][5].
Intriguingly, singer Nezza (short for Vanessa Hernández) aired the US National Anthem in Spanish on June 18, and she was allegedly warned against doing so by a team employee. Despite the early warning, she trotted out the anthem in Spanish anyway.
Her performance unfurled the same day that demonstrators blocked streets nationwide for the "No Kings" protest and as frustrations in Los Angeles continued due to the ICE raids that took place in the last couple of weeks.
While the team didn't make any public remarks on the immigration raids, Dodgers star player Kike Hernández dropped a comment on Instagram, expressing his concerns and sympathy for the Los Angeles community under fire.
"I'm disheartened and ticked off over what's happening in our country and our city," Hernández said, expressing his sympathies. "LA is my second home, and the Dodger fans have showered me with support from day one."
"I can't stand to watch our community being bullied, singled out, assaulted, and torn apart," he continued, adding, "EVERYONE DESERVES to be treated with respect, dignity, and human rights."
CNN's Sara Smart provided input for this story.
[1] Los Angeles Times. (2025, June 19). Los Angeles Dodgers deny ICE agents access to Dodger Stadium. [2] The Washington Post. (2025, June 19). Dodgers under fire for denying ICE entry to Dodger Stadium. [3] NBC News. (2025, June 19). Federal agents near Dodger Stadium ignite fears of immigration raid. [4] LAist. (2025, June 19). What happens when ICE agents show up at Dodger Stadium. [5] ESPN. (2025, June 19). Los Angeles Dodgers continue to draw record crowds for the 2025 season.
The political tension extends beyond Dodger Stadium, as the Dodgers' denial of ICE access sparked general-news discussions about immigration and the team's stance. Meanwhile, the sports world is also attentive, with an ongoing football season, where the Dodgers are set to compete against the San Diego Padres.
