Protester run from police as they use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A day-long protest against immigration raids in Santa Ana today resulted in several arrests after demonstrators threw objects at police and federal authorities.
A firecracker explodes outside the Federal Building in downtown Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025, after a person protesting against ICE threw the fireworks at federal police. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A man uses a traffic cone and baking soda to extinguish a tear gas bomb during protests against ICE outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A defiant protester waves the American flag as federal police fire tear gas at protesters outside the Federal Building in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protester run from police as they use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters against ICE shield themselves against pepper balls with an umbrella outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Federal police and members of the Special Response Team fire pepper balls at ICE protesters outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Police use pepper spray as they move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Federal police prepare to fire piper spray at anti-ICE protesters outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A man uses a plastic tub to shield himself from pepper gun projectiles as he prepares to throw a water bottle at federal police during protests against ICE outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police as they block the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester raises the U.S. flag after police use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester raises the U.S. flag after police use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters rally at the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters rally at the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Ryan Hernandez tells the crowd, “These streets belong to us” as he gathers with protesters at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A water bottle is thrown by a protesters as they stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protester run from police as they use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Ana Police march down Santa Ana Boulevard after declaring a riot after protesters against ICE began clashing with federal police outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The demonstration began near the Santa Ana Federal Building, where several people were arrested, and by nightfall had moved to the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse at 411 W. Fourth St.
Police declared an unlawful assembly at around 8:30 p.m. Monday as some protesters continued to hurl fireworks and objects including bottle rockets at local and federal authorities, who responded with tear gas and other crowd-control weapons.
The exact number of arrests was unclear Monday evening.
“The situation has escalated, and what began as a lawful assembly around the Civic Center Plaza, has escalated into objects being thrown towards officers and other members of the public, posing a risk to public safety, property, and the well-being of our community,” the city of Santa Ana said in a post on X at about 9 p.m.
“In response, federal agents have deployed less-lethal ammunition, including tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets.”
A woman who said she was a nurse volunteering at the scene told City News Service that multiple people were treated for injuries suffered when law enforcement fired rubber bullets at the crowd.
Earlier, about 200 activists waving flags and carrying signs congregated around Santa Ana Boulevard and Flower Street, chanting slogans such as “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA” to protest the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement actions in Southern California, which included raids in Santa Ana on Monday.
“We are aware that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently conducting immigration enforcement action in the city of Santa Ana. We acknowledge that this news causes fear and uncertainty to many in our community,” the Santa Ana Police Department said in a statement.
“We want to ensure you that the city of Santa Ana is fully compliant with the State of California Values Act. The Santa Ana Police Department does NOT and will NOT participate in immigration enforcement efforts.”
However, Santa Ana police were engaged with trying to keep the peace near the Federal Building. The Santa Ana Civic Center is also home to an ICE facility, and there were unconfirmed reports Monday evening that some demonstrators were taken into custody by federal authorities in military-style gear.
