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LA protests and its Mexico connection | Explained
As the protests continue, Mexico's flag has made several appearances. However, the waving of this flag expands beyond support for immigrants in the country.
As protests and unrest continue across Los Angeles, many demonstrators have been seen waving Mexican flags. Amid the protests, the Mexican flag has become a key symbol of the demonstrations across LA.
The California city is currently under curfew after anti-ICE protests took a drastic turn last week. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.
These demonstrations increased after US President Donald Trump called for the deployment of the National Guard and Marines across Los Angeles.
As the protests continue, Mexico's green, white and red-striped flag has made several appearances. However, the waving of this flag expands beyond support for immigrants in the country.
LA protests and Mexico - What's the connection?
The carrying of the Mexican flag across parts of LA is a symbol of solidarity with the immigrants being targeted by ICE officials during raids.
The Mexican flag has also played a key role in immigrant rights demonstrations throughout history. Its most prominent use was recorded in 1994, during resistance to California’s Proposition 187.
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California’s Proposition 187 called for the denial of public sector services such as education and healthcare to undocumented immigrants.
While the Mexican flag is not the only one to have been waved alongside America's Star-Spangled Banner, it has stood out due to the US state's past with Mexico.
From Mexican territory to the 31st US state
As per the US government's national archives, California was originally a Mexican territory till 1848.
Before being part of the Mexican empire, California was under the rule of New Spain. However, after Mexico's independence from Spain, the territory was ceded to the Mexican Republic.
The state, which was known as Alta (upper) California, was ceded to the United States after the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848.
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California, which became the 31st state of the US, was purchased after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Based on this treaty, Mexico ceded 55 per cent of its territory, which included present-day states California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
When it comes to Los Angeles, Mexican culture runs deep into its history. From 1821, the city existed within the Mexican empire and was made the capital of Alta California.
Even after becoming part of a US state, Los Angeles is home to around 3.4 million people who are Mexican by birth or heritage, the largest recorded across any US county.
As per the 2023 census, of the 4.8 million Latin origin people in LA county, around 74 per cent are of Mexican descent. Furthermore, as per the data issued by ICE, a total of 8,106 Mexicans have been detained by immigration officials in 2025. Of this, over 500 detentions were made in Los Angeles.
