Felony charge against California labor leader cut to misdemeanor

Federal authorities are now pursuing misdemeanor charges against David Huerta, president of the California Service Employees International Union, who was arrested on the first day of a series of immigration raids that have ravaged the region.

Prosecutors had originally brought a felony charge of conspiracy to obstruct an officer against Huerta, accusing him of obstructing federal authorities from executing a search warrant at a Los Angeles business and arresting dozens of undocumented immigrants on June 6.

On Friday, court records show federal prosecutors filed a lesser charge against Huerta for “resisting or opposing obstruction of a federal officer,” which carries a sentence of up to a year in federal prison. The crime he was previously charged with could have put him behind bars for up to six years.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles declined to comment.

Huerta’s lawyers, Abbe David Lowell and Marilyn Bednarski, said in a statement that they would “seek the fastest hearing to vindicate David.” The lawyers said: “In the four months since David’s arrest it has become increasingly clear that there is no basis to charge him and certainly no justification for the way he was treated.”

“It is clear that David Huerta was elected not because of anything he has done, but because of who he is: a lifelong worker advocate who is an outspoken critic of immigration policies. These accusations are a clear attempt to silence a prominent voice who dared to challenge a relentless, politically motivated fear campaign,” the statement said.

The labor union had previously said Huerta was detained “while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activities.” Huerta is one of more than 60 people federally charged in connection with immigration protests and enforcement actions in the Central District of California.

Two recent misdemeanor trials against protesters accused of assaulting a federal officer both ended in acquittals. Some protesters took plea deals.

In a statement Friday, Huerta said she was “targeted for exercising my constitutional rights to oppose an administration that has declared open war on working families, immigrants, and basic human dignity.”

“The false accusations against me are not just about me, they are intended to intimidate anyone who dares to raise their voice, organize and demand justice. I will not be silenced,” he said.

Huerta was held for days at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, prompting thousands of union members, activists and supporters to rally for his release. California Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla also sent a letter to the Homeland Security and Justice departments requesting a review of Huerta’s detention.

A judge ordered Huerta released on $50,000 bail in June.

The case against Huerta centers on the June 6 immigration raid at Ambiance Apparel. According to the initial criminal complaint, Huerta joined many other protesters and arrived at the area around noon on Friday.

Huerta and other protesters “appeared to be communicating with each other in a concerted effort to disrupt law enforcement operations,” a federal agent wrote in the complaint.

The agent wrote that Huerta yelled and taunted officers and then sat cross-legged in front of a vehicle door leading to where law enforcement executed the search warrant.

The agent also wrote in the affidavit that Huerta “at various times stood up and stepped in front of the door, effectively obstructing law enforcement vehicles from entering or exiting the building through the door to serve the search warrant.”

The agent wrote that they told Huerta that he would be arrested if he continued to block the Ambiance door.

As a white law enforcement van tried to pass through the gate, Huerta stopped in front of it, according to the complaint.

Since Huerta “was uncooperative, the officer placed his hands on HUERTA in an attempt to move him out of the path of the vehicle.”

“I saw HUERTA being pushed back and in response the officer pushed HUERTA to the ground,” the agent wrote. “The officer and I then handcuffed HUERTA and arrested him.”

“Huerta was thrown to the ground, batoned, pepper-sprayed and detained by federal agents while exercising his constitutional rights during an ICE raid in Los Angeles,” according to a statement from SEIU-United Service Workers West, SEIU California State Council and Service Employees International Union. The video of his arrest went viral.

“Despite harsh treatment by law enforcement, David now faces an unjust accusation,” the statement said. “This administration has turned the military against our own people, terrorized entire communities, and even detained U.S. citizens exercising their constitutional rights.”

US Deputy Atty. Following his arrest, Bill Essayli posted a photo with his hands behind his back on the social media site X of Huerta.

“Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are; if you obstruct federal agents you will be arrested and prosecuted,” Essayli wrote. “No one has the right to attack, obstruct or interfere with federal officials in the execution of their duties.”

In an interview with Sacramento TV news channel KCRA last month, Essayli referred to Huerta as a “friend” of Gov. Gavin Newsom and said he “intentionally obstructed the search warrant.”

While speaking to reporters in June, Schiff said Huerta was “exercising his legal right to be there and observe these immigration raids.”

“This is obviously a very traumatic thing, and now it looks like the Justice Department is trying to make an example of it, it’s even more traumatic,” Schiff said. “But that’s part of Trump’s playbook. They selectively use the Justice Department to go after their enemies. That’s what they do.”