Los Angeles — Local volunteers from a community patrol group reported seeing federal agents wearing Halloween masks while heading to and from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staging area at the Port of Los Angeles this week.
This incident took place on Tuesday morning, as documented by the Harbor Area Peace Patrol, a volunteer group that monitors federal immigration enforcement in the Harbor region. An anonymous individual, identified only as Phoebe, shared with Nexstar’s KTLA that several undercover agents were spotted leaving Terminal Island, where DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles are commonly stationed before operations.
“They slowed down, rolled down their windows, and looked directly into my camera while wearing a Chucky mask,” Phoebe stated. “Then, a short time later, another operative emerged in a car donning a Momo mask and did something similar. It really shows that they seem to take pleasure in this kind of work and scaring our communities.”
Phoebe mentioned that she and fellow patrol members frequently record vehicles entering and exiting the Terminal Island area, which is a restricted site near a public monument. Her group is working to match the cars seen with those that later appear during immigration operations across Los Angeles County.
While Phoebe provided video evidence of staff leaving the facility in masks, she noted there was no indication that masks were worn during the subsequent enforcement operation that day.
DHS has not yet responded to KTLA’s request for comment made prior to the publication.
This story was first reported by La Taco, a locally-focused independent news source known for covering street-level events in Los Angeles. They noted receiving a statement from Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, who simply said, “Happy Halloween!”
Reportedly, an agent wearing a “Chucky” mask was seen around 7:23 a.m. Tuesday, followed shortly by another in a “Momo” mask. The same van has been linked to several immigration raids throughout Los Angeles, including one in Van Nuys that occurred that same day.
Phoebe indicated that the white van seen leaving Terminal Island had been recorded multiple times before. On October 20, the driver was spotted in a disguise reminiscent of Mr. Potato Head, complete with glasses and a fake nose, as the vehicle left a DHS facility.
She commented that agents typically conceal their identities, but the use of masks this week felt deliberately provocative.
“This situation felt different,” Phoebe said. “They made a concerted effort to ensure we encountered them.”
KTLA has reached out to both DHS and ICE for further clarification on the matter and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
