The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Wednesday that Emiliano Garduno-Galvez, a previously deported Mexican national, has been charged with attempted murder following a violent incident during the Los Angeles riots sparked by ongoing immigration enforcement operations, as reported [1] by The Independent Journal Review.
Garduno-Galvez, who had already been removed from the United States by immigration authorities, was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Los Angeles on June 9.
BREAKING: DHS confirms to @FoxNews [2] that ICE arrested a previously deported illegal alien from Mexico who they say was caught on video throwing a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during the riots in Los Angeles on Saturday. Emiliano Garduno-Galvez will be charged w/ attempted… pic.twitter.com/VQXHNIr4Un [3]
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 11, 2025 [4]
According to a DHS press release, he was formally charged with attempted murder the following day after being captured on video lighting a Molotov cocktail behind a tree as officers approached on June 7.
The DHS noted Garduno-Galvez’s prior criminal record in California includes convictions for grand theft and driving under the influence. Officials said his re-entry into the U.S. and involvement in the riots highlight the risks posed by repeat immigration offenders.
“These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect,” said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. “And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Garduno-Galvez’s arrest comes amid a broader federal crackdown on violent protests that erupted in response to ICE operations in sanctuary jurisdictions.
The Trump administration has deployed National Guard units to Los Angeles to support law enforcement in quelling the violence. DHS officials confirmed that Garduno-Galvez is being held in federal custody pending prosecution.
