Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California has maintained close relations for years with a group tied to anti-deportation riots and now wants it to receive $2 million in taxpayer funds.
Padilla marked the funds for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) in May proposals for a fiscal year 2026 budget, according to his office. Padilla spent years holding meetings with CHIRLA and earning praise from the taxpayer-funded group, which is under investigation by lawmakers after encouraging protests that led to riots against immigration enforcement in Los Angeles.
CHIRLA was one of several groups organizing protests on June 6 against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that eventually led to days of rioting in Los Angeles. Republicans later sent letters to the group inquiring about whether it used past federal funds to support violent activity, claims that the the group called “vicious lies.”
Press releases and social media posts show that CHIRLA and Padilla, whom security guards detained on June 12 for interrupting a Trump administration press conference, have had close relations for years.
CHIRLA celebrated when Padilla first became a senator in 2020 and gave its left-wing immigration agenda a greater foothold on Capitol Hill.
“We congratulate this son of Mexican immigrants from the San Fernando Valley and look forward to working with him in his new role,” a press release reads.
Padilla met with CHIRLA activists several times over immigration issues as far back as 2021, including to consult them on policy, according to press releases and CHIRLA’s Facebook account. He joined CHIRLA and other groups in Los Angeles in April 2023 to announce a bill that would grant a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, his website shows. Padilla’s office featured words of praise from CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas, who declared, “We will work with Senator Padilla and others who never wavered in our request for permanent residency.”
The lawmaker’s website is littered with CHIRLA’s support for his efforts to loosen immigration policies on other occasions.
“Funds will transform an existing, vacant building into a multi-service community resilience and resource hub for community members in need,” Padilla’s $2 million earmark request for CHIRLA reads,
CHIRLA organized its June 6 protest after a local union leader of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) was arrested earlier that day for allegedly trying to obstruct ICE vehicles. The protest took place at a federal building after CHIRLA and other groups issued a coordinated call to action on social media, the DCNF previously reported. Hundreds of people arrived, leading to clashes with law enforcement and rioting that continued for days and prompted President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops to the city.
Activist group Hispanic Federation lamented on June 9 that “members of our partners at CHIRLA” had been “detained and injured” while protesting.
Padilla also previously gained a campaign endorsement from SIEU California, the union chapter that saw its leader arrested. He has similarly joined the union at events from his first year in Congress, including a local SEIU town hall.
Padilla’s office, CHIRLA and SEIU California did not respond to requests for comment.
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