An anti-immigration rally in Santa Ana escalated following reported ICE operations in the area.
A firecracker explodes outside the Federal Building in downtown Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025, after a person protesting against ICE threw the fireworks at federal police. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A man uses a traffic cone and baking soda to extinguish a tear gas bomb during protests against ICE outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A defiant protester waves the American flag as federal police fire tear gas at protesters outside the Federal Building in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protester run from police as they use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters against ICE shield themselves against pepper balls with an umbrella outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Federal police and members of the Special Response Team fire pepper balls at ICE protesters outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Police use pepper spray as they move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Federal police prepare to fire piper spray at anti-ICE protesters outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)A man uses a plastic tub to shield himself from pepper gun projectiles as he prepares to throw a water bottle at federal police during protests against ICE outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police as they block the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester raises the U.S. flag after police use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester raises the U.S. flag after police use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A protester washes his face after police used tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters yell at police at the driveway to the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Police move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters rally at the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters rally at the Federal Building while police stand guard in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 200 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Ryan Hernandez tells the crowd, “These streets belong to us” as he gathers with protesters at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)A water bottle is thrown by a protesters as they stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protester run from police as they use tear gas and flash-bangs at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Protesters stand off against police at the Federal Building in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, June 9, 2025. About 400 anti-ICE protesters spent the afternoon carrying signs as they chanted and yelled at police. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Santa Ana Police march down Santa Ana Boulevard after declaring a riot after protesters against ICE began clashing with federal police outside the Federal Building in downtown in Santa Ana on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
By afternoon, a growing crowd gathered outside the federal building on Santa Ana Boulevard. Tensions rose when protesters attempted to block a van, prompting police to intervene with pepper spray. Protesters said officers initially used pepper bullets, later switching to rubber bullets.
By 6 p.m., the demonstration swelled to several hundred, intermittently blocking Santa Ana Boulevard and Civic Center Plaza. The federal building was secured by officers in tactical gear, some marked with Homeland Security patches.
After 7 p.m., police declared the gathering a riot and ordered dispersal, warning of arrests.
