Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell shut down a city council member’s attempt to get his officers to help “warn” residents of federal immigration raids.
McDonnell exposed LA City Councilwoman Imelda Padilla’s efforts to break the law after she pressed him about implementing AI technology to aid in tipping off residents in the California city about raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The moment, caught on video, transpired at an LA City council meeting last month.
LA council person asks the LAPD Chief to alert illegals when ICE is coming.
The Chief tells her she may want to talk to the city attorney about that because it’s obstruction of justice. pic.twitter.com/6Q6lK0cFay
— Booker (@RealBookerScott) July 2, 2025
“Can we use technology, like AI technology, to create a situation where your department can identify, ‘Hey, there’s agents, non-city of LA, in a neighboring town. Everyone go on alert,'” the Democrat Councilmember asked, “in a way that you can support our business community and our immigrant community to know that it’s time…”
After mentioning “due process” and the “lack of warrants,” Padilla’s question seemed to need some clarification for McDonnell.
“I’m not sure what you’re asking me,” the police chief responded.
“I’m asking a creativity question here,” the councilwoman replied.
“What can your department do to do more to warn us, to warn the business community that outside of our LA borders…you can warn us so that we can warn our folks?” she asked. “In the spirit of your loyalty to the city of Los Angeles.”
McDonnell rephrased the question before dropping his truth bomb on the Democrat.
“So, you’re asking me to warn you about an enforcement action being taken by another agency before it happens?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Padilla replied simply.
“Yeah, we can’t do that,” the police chief said. “That would be obstruction of justice. You might want to talk to the city attorney about that.”
The video making the rounds on social media sparked heated responses to the councilmember’s brazen request.
When you are this clueless on basic legal principles you are not fit to hold any elected position.
— ThatOneGuy (@whosThatOneGuy) July 2, 2025
Why is she still in a position of power?
Good for the LAPD Chief! Be interesting to know what the City’s Attorney’s response is.
Thank you for sharing.
Stay safe.— zibabird (@zibabird) July 3, 2025
My brain hurt trying to parse what she was asking, but she is the perfect representation of LA, shes an idiot. Also – “Your Loyalty to the City of LA”? Maybe she should also be loyal to her State, and to her Country. Or fuck off to somewhere else.
— mcpeppers (@mcpeppers) July 3, 2025
Good answer, Chief! The council woman needs to be voted out of office.
— Paul Marketos (@PaulAMarketos) July 3, 2025
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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