RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 6 sources‘We said from the outset that this prosecution had no legal basis,’ the labor union leader’s legal team said
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Federal prosecutors have moved to dismiss charges against a prominent labor union leader who was arrested during protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in California.
The development marks a significant moment in a series of cases related to the administration's policies.
The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles filed a motion on Monday to drop its case against David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union California.
The union represents over 750,000 members , including janitors, security officers, and other workers across the state.
Huerta's legal team, Abbe D. Lowell and Marilyn Bednarski, asserted in a statement, "We said from the outset that this prosecution had no legal basis."
They further contended, "This case, like others, sought to silence criticism of the administration’s improper immigration actions. Today’s filing is proof that David and other critics will not be silenced."
This dismissal represents the latest instance of a case faltering within the Justice Department's efforts to prosecute individuals accused of assaulting or hindering federal officers while demonstrating against President Donald Trump ’s immigration policies.
Conversely, the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles stated that its department does not arrest individuals for peaceful protest.
In a statement, the office clarified that Huerta was charged with interfering with a judicial search warrant and has since complied with his bond terms for over a year.
"Pursuant to an agreement entered into with our office, if Mr. Huerta continues to comply with his pretrial release terms, we expect the criminal case against him to be fully dismissed by the end of next month," the statement read.
Huerta's arrest occurred in June 2025 during a protest outside a Los Angeles business where federal agents were investigating suspected immigration violations. His detention sparked rallies nationwide, with union leaders and immigrant advocates demanding his release. Huerta subsequently became a public face of the resistance against the Republican president's push to increase immigration arrests.
Initially, federal prosecutors charged Huerta with felony obstruction, a charge later reduced to a misdemeanor in October before the recent motion for dismissal.
Huerta boasts a career spanning more than two decades with the SEIU, having been elected president of SEIU California in 2022. His dedication to immigrant integration programs, including English classes for union members, earned him recognition during the Obama administration.
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