An advocacy group at the center of the organizing efforts of the anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles has long raised money through ActBlue, the controversial Democratic Party-oriented non-profit entity that is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress.

According to the social media pages of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), the group was formed in 1986 to "advance the human and civil rights of immigrants and refugees." Its mission is to "educate, organize, and advocate." The landing page of CHIRLA's website solicits donations through another entity, called Funraise.

CHIRLA is nonetheless listed in ActBlue's official directory, and ActBlue facilitates donations to CHIRLA. The far-left, pro-immigrant charity's latest IRS 990 filing for 2023 shows that CHIRLA had revenue of close to $45 million, and expenses of just over $20 million. Their tax filing does not disclose donors' names, nor any specific amount that ActBlue channeled to CHIRLA.

Three days of protests

The charity's IRS filings self-described their mission as to "promote harmonious multi-ethnic human relations." Dozens have been arrested after violent clashes with ICE agents attempting to locate illegal immigrants. L.A.ist, a local magazine, published an Associated Press newsphoto of a masked man using a Mexican flag to assault police officers.

"If you see ICE in LA, don’t stay silent. Report it to the LA Rapid Response Network," read a post from CHIRLA on Sunday.

The three days of demonstrations saw more than 6,000 people take over the streets of downtown Los Angeles, and on Sunday the NBC-owned KNBC reported that at least 2,000 people are estimated to have taken over the 101 Freeway northbound, shutting it down and forcing traffic to come to a standstill.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that "violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California."

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted Saturday on X that federal agents "arrested over a dozen agitators today who impeded agents in their ability to conduct law enforcement operations. We will continue to arrest anyone who interferes with federal law enforcement."

Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Saturday that deployed about 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles to handle the protests and guard federal buildings. The guardsmen are expected to stay in the area for up to 60 days.

The year 1965 was the last time that the National Guard was activated without a governor's permission. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the troops to Alabama to protect a civil rights march.

ActBlue under the microscope 

President Trump has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate ActBlue. The signed memorandum directs Attorney General Pam Bondi "to investigate and take appropriate action concerning allegations regarding the use of online fundraising platforms to make 'straw' or 'dummy' contributions and to make foreign contributions to U.S. political candidates and committees, all of which break the law," according to a White House press release.

According to InfluenceWatch.com, divisions of ActBlue have facilitated donations to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, The Democratic Socialists of America, and MoveOn.org, as well as operated as a fundraising platform for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

The House Judiciary Committee, the Committee on House Administration and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are currently investigating ActBlue. The lawmakers issued an interim report in April titled "Fraud on ActBlue: How the Democrats’ Top Fundraising Platform Opens the Door for Illegal Election Contributions." 

The interim report called the preliminary findings "troublesome" and noted that "internal documents produced to the Committees by ActBlue and its fraud-prevention contractor, Sift, demonstrate a lack of commitment to stopping fraud and paint a picture of complacency on ActBlue’s fraud-prevention team. Put simply, the documents reflect a fundamentally unserious approach to fraud prevention at ActBlue—one that has left the door open for large-scale fraud campaigns on Democrats’ top fundraising platform." 

"ActBlue's internal turmoil, lack of a functioning legal team, possible retaliatory actions, and failure to take fraud seriously raise new questions about the platform's ability to deter fraud and comply with federal election law," read a joint news release from the committees.

ActBlue did not respond to a request for comment from Just the News.