The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly launched an investigation into a California official's controversial appeal to local gang members.
The official, Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez, allegedly urged these gang members to protect their territories from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
In a video shared by Fox News's Bill Melugin, Gonzalez appeared to question the absence of "18th Street & Florencia 13 gang members" amid what she described as an invasion of their territories by ICE agents. "Not for nothing, but I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles? Gonzalez says.
Eighteenth street, Florencia, wheres the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory, and this is 18th Street and this is Florencia, you guys tag everything up claiming hood, and now that your hoods being invaded, by the biggest gang there is, there aint a peep out of you.
According to Melugin, Gonzalez continued to challenge the gang members, questioning their territorial claims if they were not willing to "help out." I dont want to hear a peep out of you once their gone, trying to claim that this is my block, Gonzalez added. This was not your block, you werent even here helping out.
As reported by Fox News, Melugin's post indicated that "federal sources" had confirmed that the FBI was investigating Gonzalez following the release of the video. Im told Cynthia Gonzalez posted the video late last week, then deleted it, and that the FBI later visited her home & she is under active federal investigation, Melugin wrote.
The controversy surrounding Gonzalez's comments comes amid increasing reports of violence against ICE agents. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin recently revealed to Breitbart News that law enforcement has seen a 500 percent increase in assaults during enforcement operations. McLaughlin cited the case of Roberto Carlos Munoz, an illegal immigrant and convicted child sex offender, who dragged an ICE agent 50 yards with his car while attempting to evade arrest in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Just this week, an ICE officer was dragged 50 yards by a car while arresting an illegal alien sex offender. Every day the men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens, McLaughlin said.
The rising violence against ICE officers has been highlighted by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who claimed that these officers face "extreme violence and deadly assaults on a daily basis as democrats wage their sinister campaign of destruction and hate." Miller shared a post from DHS showing a video of a man assaulting federal law enforcement with a weed whacker.
The escalating violence against ICE officers and the controversial comments by Vice Mayor Gonzalez underscore the volatile situation surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States. As the debate continues, the safety of law enforcement officers and the rule of law remain paramount concerns.
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