Long Beach Mayoral Candidate Calls for Gang Leadership to Protest ICE

The Democratic candidate for mayor of Long Beach, California, Rogelio Martinez, has made headlines by inviting 55 gang leaders to a peaceful protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. This call to action was shared in a video posted on social media.

Martinez is one of five candidates aiming for the mayoral position in the upcoming November 2026 election in a city with a population of around 450,000. He has completed a statement of intent to run in late 2025. In his video, he expressed that “Long Beach needs to be ice-free,” and noted that he expects to meet gang leaders at City Hall on the upcoming Monday evening.

“My name is Rogelio Martinez, and I’m calling all 55 gangs in my beautiful city,” he stated while filmed in front of City Hall. “I expect gang leaders to emerge from all gangs, all 55 gangs.” He went on to specify that he was referring to Latino, Cambodian, Filipino, Black, and Pacific Islander gangs, urging their leaders to join him for the meeting.

Martinez continued, emphasizing the need for community unity against what he perceives as ineffective local leadership and policing. He identified himself as “Your 2026 Mayor of Long Beach” and reiterated his desire for a united front to reclaim the city.

In an interview, he clarified that his aim was not to incite violence but rather to highlight that all community members are included in the efforts to create change. He expressed surprise that his approach gained national attention, noting the focus it received was unexpected at that level.

As of a recent update, none of the gang leaders he extended the invitation to showed up at the rally. He acknowledged this might occur because he didn’t name specific gangs in the video, which he had crafted intentionally. The lack of response matched his expectations, which seemed to demonstrate the complex realities behind the video’s message.

A considerable portion of Long Beach’s residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, with other significant demographics represented as well. Consistent with these statistics, Martinez’s push highlights the sentiments of various communities within the city, reflecting a landscape of differing backgrounds.

In his video, he declared, “Enough is enough. ICE needs to get out of Long Beach” while emphasizing that he does not oppose the police, though he believes they are limited in their capabilities against ICE.

Martinez positions himself as a political outsider, revealing that he has a background as a certified steam engineer and is currently studying online at Harvard Law School. He has joined the race partly to challenge the incumbent mayor, Rex Richardson, following what he describes as attempts to undermine his campaign.

Despite both candidates being Democrats, the mayoral race is officially nonpartisan. Throughout his campaign, Martinez underscores his aim to approach politics from an unconventional angle, aiming to bring attention to local issues affecting communal wellbeing.