The United States Justice Department has moved to dismiss the criminal charge against David Huerta, a Los Angeles labor union leader, who was arrested protesting ICE last June.

Over a year after the arrest of Huerta, the federal misdemeanor charges of obstruction, resistance, or opposition of a federal officer were dismissed by the U.S. attorney’s office in L.A.

Huerta, who is the president of the Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, said that these charges were “unconstitutional,” and that he was peacefully protesting ICE officers who were investigating suspected immigration violations in a Downtown L.A. clothing manufacturer’s warehouse.

“The Department of Justice does not arrest people for peacefully protesting,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in its statement. “Mr. Huerta was charged with unlawfully interfering with the execution of a judicial search warrant. Mr. Huerta has agreed to accept responsibility for his actions.”

The attorney’s office stated that Huerta has complied with all terms of his bond and, if he continues to do so, will have the charges permanently dismissed. The attorney’s office added that the case is expected to be fully dismissed by the end of August.

“There was never a real case, only an attempt to punish and silence me for exercising my constitutional rights,” Huerta said in a statement. “I will keep exercising my constitutional rights and protest every abuse this administration commits, and I will keep working to build a country that treats immigrant families and all workers with the dignity they deserve.”

Originally, Huerta was charged with a felony for obstructing the ICE officers, but the Justice Department reduced the charge to a misdemeanor last October. Huerta had pleaded not guilty in both instances.

Huerta was arrested June 6, 2025, in front of Ambiance Apparel, a wholesale clothing warehouse in the Fashion District of Downtown L.A., where ICE officers detained over 40 garment workers. The warehouse has become the site of several protests since the raid, including protests for the charges against Huerta to be dropped.

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