Investigation into Immigration Nonprofit Over LA Riots

Jim Jordan, the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, along with two other Republican representatives, has reached out to an immigration rights organization, Chirla, to gather details about its potential involvement in the recent ICE riots in Los Angeles.

These protests against the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles escalated, leading to days of violence and destruction, prompting the deployment of the National Guard and US Marines for public safety.

The letter from House Republicans expresses concern about the possibility that Chirla might be using federal funds to support activities that disrupt federal immigration enforcement. The riots have sparked some independent investigations linking them to Chirla, which has strong ties to Democratic interests.

In their communication, Republicans are asking for clarification on how taxpayer money is being utilized, particularly in light of claims that nearly $1 million in taxpayer-funded grants were awarded to Chirla during the Biden-Harris administration. Their letter raises serious questions about whether this funding has been misused to facilitate violent unrest.

A spokesperson for Chirla confirmed that while the organization hosted press conferences against ICE and arranged for legal observers in immigration courts, they denied any direct involvement in the protests themselves, emphasizing, “We were not part of, or coordinated with, the protests in Los Angeles other than the aforementioned press events.”

Additional reports suggest that Chirla received $34 million from California this past year, a significant increase from the $12 million received the previous year.

The Judiciary Committee has requested that Chirla respond to their inquiries by July 8th.