The streets of Los Angeles erupted in chaos on June 7, 2025, as riots fueled by anti-ICE protests turned deadly, with Emiliano Garduno-Galvez, a 32-year-old Mexican national illegally in the U.S., charged with attempted murder for hurling a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement.

Arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 9, Garduno-Galvez, a previously deported felon, now faces federal and state charges, spotlighting the volatile clash between immigration enforcement and local resistance.

The incident, part of a broader wave of violence, has intensified scrutiny on California’s sanctuary policies and the Biden administration’s immigration legacy.

“Emiliano Garduno-Galvez is a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who threatened the lives of federal law enforcement officers by attacking them with a Molotov cocktail during the violent riots in Los Angeles,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital.

Video footage captured Garduno-Galvez throwing the incendiary device at police, who were already dodging bricks, fireworks, and other debris from rioters.

“The Los Angeles rioters will not stop us or slow us down,” McLaughlin added.

“And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Garduno-Galvez’s rap sheet tells a troubling story. Previously deported, he had a 2024 arrest for grand theft near the Anaheim Police Department and a DUI in Long Beach, according to DHS.

“These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect,” McLaughlin said, slamming protesters who looted businesses, graffitied property, and smashed LAPD headquarters windows during the unrest.

The riots, sparked by ICE raids that arrested 44 people, including 19 accused of crimes like robbery, rape, and second-degree murder, have seen agitators set cars ablaze and block highways.

“America’s brave ICE officers are removing the worst of the worst from LA’s streets, while LA’s leaders are working tirelessly against them,” DHS stated.

Local and state leaders face mounting criticism. “The feds can leave, we are left behind to deal with the consequences,” LAPD Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters, describing agents caught in “hand-to-hand situations” with rioters.

Governor Gavin Newsom, defiant against the Trump administration’s deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops, called it a “serious breach of state sovereignty” on X, daring Border Czar Tom Homan to arrest him.

“Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy,”

Newsom said on MSNBC. Homan, unfazed, told NBC News, “We’re going to keep enforcing law every day in L.A. I don’t care if they like it or not.”

The attack has galvanized critics of California’s policies. “An illegal alien from Mexico who was arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov Cocktail at law enforcement during the Paramount [riots] is a great example of the illegal alien criminals DHS, DOD, and LAPD are working together to arrest and deport,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.

Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, on Fox & Friends, accused Newsom of encouraging the riots, saying, “He’s created an environment where lawlessness is excused.” Meanwhile, protesters’ actions—spray-painting “F*** ICE” and throwing water bottles—have drawn bipartisan ire.

“These aren’t peaceful protesters,” Newsom admitted. “They need to be called out. They need to be arrested.”

As Garduno-Galvez awaits trial, LA remains a tinderbox. “Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free,” President Trump declared on Truth Social. With 300 rioters arrested and more sweeps planned, the Molotov attack has become a rallying cry for stricter enforcement, exposing the high cost of unchecked borders.