330 ICE Arrests, Armenian Gang Charges, and a Changing Downtown

Headlines From The Times

L.A. Times Studios

News, Daily News, Society & Culture, The Times, California

4.1 • 544 Ratings

🗓️ 12 June 2025

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Federal agents have detained 330 immigrants in L.A. since Friday, with the White House vowing more to come. At the same time, car washes across L.A. and Orange County are the latest targets of immigration raids. Meanwhile, a violent gang war among Armenian organized crime groups is playing out in the San Fernando Valley. And in downtown Los Angeles, residents are staying committed to a walkable, vibrant lifestyle—even as the area adapts to post-pandemic shifts. This episode breaks down the major enforcement, safety, and community stories shaping the city.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is an L.A. Times Studios podcast.
0:10.3	Hi, I'm Faith Pino at L.A. Times Studios. Here are some of the headlines from the Los Angeles Times.
0:17.1	The Trump administration announced yesterday that federal immigration agents have made 330 arrests in Los Angeles since Friday.
0:25.6	Andrea Castillo reported that the White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt released the numbers Wednesday during a briefing.
0:31.6	Leavitt said that in addition to the hundreds of immigrant arrests, 157 others were taken into custody for assault or obstruction.
0:40.3	The White House defended the arrests, pointing to serious past convictions for about a third of those detained.
0:46.3	She blamed Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass for, quote, fanning the flames and warned other cities not to follow LA's lead.
0:53.3	Trump officials say the unrest
0:55.5	is making enforcement harder and more dangerous, but insists the crackdown isn't stopping.
1:00.9	The White House says the raids are continuing with or without the protests.
1:06.4	A gang war is erupting in the San Fernando Valley and federal authorities say it's unlike anything they've seen before.
1:12.6	Matthew Ormseth reports 13 men have been charged in a violent power struggle within an Armenian organized crime group.
1:19.6	The tactics include motorcycle drive-bys, clown masks, drones, and kidnappings.
1:25.6	At least one target was shot six times outside his home.
1:29.3	Now investigators say the violence erupted after the deportation of a long-time Underworld
1:33.7	boss, creating a power vacuum and deadly rivalries. Prosecutors say the crews ran scams involving
1:40.1	insurance fraud, Amazon theft, and even killings for hire. The 13 gang members who were arrested
1:45.9	in May appeared before a Los Angeles judge on Monday. The men entered not guilty plea charges for
1:51.6	kidnapping, racketeering, and attempted murder. Car washes across Los Angeles and Orange County
1:58.7	have become a new target for immigration raids,
2:01.5	sparking fear among workers and locals. Suana Hussein reports that the clean car wash
2:06.9	worker center, a local labor group, verified these raids using community tips and social media
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from L.A. Times Studios, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of L.A. Times Studios and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.