Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has launched an investigation into the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), an immigrant rights group based in California, after alleging that the organization may have financially supported coordinated violent protests in Los Angeles. The inquiry follows claims that CHIRLA has provided logistical and financial resources to individuals engaged in the unrest, which Hawley described as being orchestrated in a coordinated manner. Hawley, who serves as the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime & Terrorism, sent a letter to CHIRLA’s Executive Director, Angelica Salas, demanding detailed records of any protest planning or funding, as well as internal communications and financial documents related to these activities.
The senator’s letter also requested travel records for individuals involved with the organization if they have been reimbursed by CHIRLA, as well as donor lists, in order to assess the organization’s role in the protests. In a separate statement, Hawley emphasized that ‘bankrolling civil unrest is not protected speech. It is aiding and abetting criminal conduct,’ and urged CHIRLA to immediately cease any further involvement in the organization, funding, or promotion of unlawful activities.
In addition to the allegations, IRS records obtained by Fox News reveal that CHIRLA has received $34 million in government grants, including three from the Biden administration for a total of $750,000. Despite Trump’s previous decision to cut funding for the organization, CHIRLA continues to receive state and city grants to support its legal efforts against deportations. The organization is also responsible for creating the Rapid Response Network, a hotline used by immigrants to report ICE raids, which then sends text alerts allowing migrants to evade capture.
CHIRLA has not yet responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Meanwhile, Trump has been vocal about his belief that many of the rioters and protesters in Los Angeles are professional agitators rather than genuine protesters. He criticized the handling of the riots by California Governor Gavin Newsom, suggesting that he might support arresting the governor over his response. Newsom swiftly responded to Trump’s comments, stating that the President’s remarks were an ‘unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.’