More Perfect Union (MPU), the progressive non-profit news organization run by Senator Bernie Sanders senior advisor Faiz Shakir, reported today on X that David Huerta, the president of California’s biggest union, SEIU (the Service Employees International Union), has been charged with “conspiracy to impede an officer for monitoring an ICE raid.”
MPU notes that the felony charge against Huerta “carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison.”
Huerta was serving as a community observer during an ICE raid in Los Angeles on June 6, when he was arrested by federal agents over allegations of interfering.
David Huerta, president of California’s biggest union (@seiucalifornia), has been charged with conspiracy to impede an officer for monitoring an ICE raid. That’s a felony charge that carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison.
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) June 9, 2025
Still in custody, Huerta said in a statement: “What happened to me is not about me; this is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening.”
He added: “Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”
Protestors in Los Angeles are carrying photos of Huerta, demanding his release. Union leaders and members across the country are also protesting the ICE raids and demanding the release of Huerta, as seen below.
SEIU, California Nurses, Alameda Labor Council, Oakland Teachers, and other local unions are gathered in SF calling for the release of CA SEIU President David Huerta and for ICE to leave our communities. pic.twitter.com/R5gx7spMpI
— Elise Joshi (@EliseJoshi) June 9, 2025
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the largest federation of labor unions in the US, has also called for Huerta’s release.
AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said in a statement: “As the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda has unnecessarily targeted our hard-working immigrant brothers and sisters, David was exercising his constitutional rights and conducting legal observation of Ice activity in his community.”
She added: “The labor movement stands with David and we will continue to demand justice for our union brother until he is released.”
Democratic California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla have since petitioned for Huerta’s release and demanded a review of his arrest.
