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Sen. Josh Hawley launched an investigation Wednesday into a pro-immigration organization over its alleged role in helping to fuel the riots that have battered downtown Los Angeles for the better part of a week.
Hawley (R-Mo.) inked a letter to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), accusing the group of marshaling “logistical support and financial resources” to fuel the mayhem ravaging the country’s second-largest city.
“Credible reporting now suggests that your organization has provided logistical support and financial resources to individuals engaged in these disruptive actions,” Hawley informed CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas.
“Let me be clear: bankrolling civil unrest is not protected speech. It is aiding and abetting criminal conduct.”
The Missouri Republican was alluding to a rally that CHIRLA helped organize this past Thursday to protest US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles.
Eventually, the demonstrations devolved into full-blown riots downtown.
“We have not participated, coordinated, or been part of the protests being registered in Los Angeles other than the press conference and rally,” a CHIRLA rep previously told The Post in a statement.
The Post previously reported that CHIRLA has received tens of millions of dollars in government contracts over recent years — including $34 million, largely from California, in fiscal year 2023.
President Trump has mobilized 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines to contain the violence and protect federal property over a 60-day stretch, enraging top Democrats in the Golden State.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have sued to block Trump’s federalization of the state’s National Guard, with Newsom claiming Tuesday night that “democracy is under assault right before our eyes.”
That same day, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced a 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in a bid to contain rioting and looting.
Hawley, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, also demanded that CHIRLA preserve key records dating from Election Day 2024, including financial documents related to protest preparations, travel records, and donor lists.
Hawley did not set a deadline for CHIRLA to reply, but warned that failure to comply with his request could lead to a “potential referral for criminal investigation.”
“While peaceful protest is a cornerstone of American democracy, these demonstrations have escalated into lawless mob actions,” the senator stressed in his letter.
“They have obstructed federal law enforcement, endangered public safety, and disrupted the rule of law. This lawlessness is unacceptable. It must end.”
The Post contacted CHIRLA for additional comment.
