Los Angeles labor union leader David Jose Huerta pleaded not guilty to federal misdemeanor charges Tuesday when he made his first court appearance in connection with his arrest during an immigration enforcement operation protest in Los Angeles.
Huerta, 58, pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction, resistance, or opposition of a federal officer. The misdemeanor carries a statutory maximum sentence of one year in federal prison.
Trial was scheduled for Jan. 20 in Los Angeles.
Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union California, was arrested June 6 during a protest outside a business in Los Angeles where federal agents were investigating suspected immigration violations. Huerta called the case “baseless” and insisted he was exercising his First Amendment rights when agents detained him outside Ambiance Apparel, the site where dozens of undocumented workers were arrested.
“These charges are baseless,” Huerta said outside federal court Tuesday. “They are an attempt to silence anyone who dares to speak out, organize or demand justice.
“I will not be silenced. I look forward to presenting my case and being exonerated.”
Huerta and his attorneys did not take questions outside of court Tuesday.
Huerta’s union represents hundreds of thousands of janitors, security officers and other workers across California.
During the June protest, Huerta sat down in front of vehicle gate and encouraged others to walk in circles to try to prevent law enforcement from going in or out, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, wrote in an earlier federal court filing. An officer told Huerta to leave, then put his hands on Huerta to move him out of the way of a vehicle, the agent wrote. Huerta pushed back, and the officer pushed Huerta to the ground and arrested him, according to the filing.
Huerta later was released from federal custody on bond and the original felony obstruction charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor.
At Tuesday’s hearing, United States Magistrate Judge Alicia G. Rosenberg ordered Huerta be released on his personal recognizance. The judge restricted Huerta’s foreign travel and ordered him to seek court permission before traveling outside the United States and surrender his passport to his attorney, the Department of Justice said.
Huerta was allowed by the judge to fly to Mexico for the holidays in December. He is free to travel in the U.S. without court approval, the DOJ said.
He was ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from federal officers, the DOJ said.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday that it will have no further comment.
Huerta’s arrest came as federal immigration enforcement operations ramped up in Southern California as part of the President Trump‘s mass deportation campaign promise. Huerta was among the first people arrested in the Los Angeles protests in opposition to the federal operations.
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