The Los Angeles Dodgers organization said Thursday it’s delaying its announcement on plans to assist immigrant communities impacted by the ICE raids across the city.
The team tells NBC4 it’s delaying the announcement due to events earlier in the day.
Federal agents were denied entry Thursday morning after requesting access to parking lots at Dodger Stadium, where a group gathered at an entrance to protest recent immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers, who host the San Diego Padres Thursday night, were expected to make an announcement about a new initiative to assist immigrant communities impacted by the recent federal crackdown.
Details about the plans were not immediately available.
A crowd gathered late Thursday morning on a road outside Dodger Stadium where several federal agents were located near a stadium entrance gate June 19, 2025.
The team received backlash from fans after the Los Angeles team had not spoken out on the immigration raids and protests. The criticism only grew after Vanessa Hernández, who goes by the stage name “Nezza,” sang the national anthem in Spanish, despite a team spokesperson telling her not to, in front of a sold-out crowd at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers issued a statement — not to condemn or support the protest, but to clarify that Nezza was not banned from the stadium, contrary to her suggestion.
“There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance,” read the statement. “She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.”
The franchise with deep ties to the Latino community is one of 12 major professional sports franchises in Los Angeles, two of which have issued public statements on ICE raids and protests in the city with a vast and diverse immigrant population and sports fan base. Statements were issued from Angel City FC and LAFC in early June after a series of immigration enforcement operations in the Los Angeles area.