Los Angeles
CNN
—
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to enter Dodger Stadium on Thursday but were denied entry to the grounds by the team, the Dodgers said on social media.
“This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled,” the team said in a post on X.
Video shown by affiliate KABC showed federal agents stationed on one of the streets leading up to the stadium.
The exact nature of the reason why federal agents were at Dodger Stadium was not immediately clear.
CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for comment.
According to the Los Angeles Times, agents declined to say why they were at the stadium.
The agents’ presence at Dodger Stadium comes as the Trump administration has increased its immigration enforcement, which has been met with protests – particularly in Southern California. Los Angeles has been a hotbed of demonstrations in recent weeks after ICE operations in the city and surrounding areas struck fear into immigrants in the area.
The Dodgers are expected later Thursday to announce a plan to assist the immigrant community impacted by the recent round of immigration operations.
The team is set to host the San Diego Padres in Los Angeles on Thursday, as well as host a celebrity softball game hosted by star player Mookie Betts in celebration of Black Heritage Night. The Dodgers are averaging more than 50,000 fans in attendance per home game this season, the only team in the majors bringing in that many fans per game. Thursday’s home game against the Padres is likely to be a hot ticket as the two teams are heated rivals in the National League West Division.
The federal agents action comes days after singer Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, performed the US National Anthem in Spanish on Saturday. She said she was first planning on singing the Anthem in Spanglish, but with the ongoing immigration raids, she decided to do the song in Spanish only.
She says a team employee told her not to. That didn’t deter her, and she performed the song in Spanish anyway.
Her performance took place the same day that demonstrators filled streets across the country for the “No Kings” protest and as frustrations in Los Angeles continued because of ICE raids that took place within the past few weeks.
While the team hasn’t outwardly spoken on the ongoing frustrations of the ongoing immigration crackdowns ICE raids that have been happening in the city, star player Dodgers player Kike Hernández, a native of Puerto Rico, showed his support for Los Angeles in an Instagram post.
“I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city,” Hernández said in part. “Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love.”
“This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart,” he said, adding, “ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.”
CNN’s Sara Smart contributed to this report.
