Why are LA protesters waving the Mexican flag?

As protests erupted across Los Angeles following a controversial string of ICE raids and the federal government’s deployment of troops, one symbol stood out prominently amid the marches, rallies, and clashes: the green, white, and red Mexican flag.

From downtown LA to surrounding cities like Compton and Paramount, demonstrators have carried the Mexican flag alongside American and other Latin American banners.

How the Mexican flag is being used at LA protests

Tensions in Los Angeles reached a boiling point after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted sweeping raids last week in the city’s garment district.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants, according to federal authorities. The crackdown sparked an immediate wave of protests across various parts of LA, including the city center, Compton, and Paramount.

While many protests began peacefully, scenes of confrontation and civil unrest soon followed. Protesters voiced opposition to what they described as an indiscriminate assault on immigrant communities.

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Amid the chaos, many carried flags — chiefly the Mexican flag — as a gesture of solidarity and cultural pride.

The Trump administration responded to the unrest by deploying approximately 2,000 National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, a decision that inflamed tensions further.

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed strong opposition to the federal deployment, publicly denouncing it as a violation of California’s authority.

In a post on X, he stated: “I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County and return them to my command… We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed. Rescind the order. Return control to California.”

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The growing presence of law enforcement and military personnel only heightened public anger, leading to more clashes and dozens of arrests in ensuing days.

Meanwhile, social media posts from officials and media coverage began to focus on one vivid and recurring image: the Mexican flag flying amid smoke, police lines and protest chants.

Why the Mexican flag

For many demonstrators, waving the Mexican flag is neither an act of rebellion nor foreign interference — it is a symbol of identity, belonging and solidarity. Los Angeles County is home to over 3.4 million residents of Mexican heritage or birth, the largest such population in any US county.

According to 2023 US Census estimates, approximately 4.8 million people of Hispanic or Latino origin live in LA County, comprising 48 per cent of the population. Among them, about 74 per cent are of Mexican descent.

The flag’s appearance in protests is thus rooted in demographic and cultural realities. Protesters have not only carried the Mexican flag but also the flags of other Latin American countries and the United States.

In some cases, hybrid flags combining national symbols have appeared as well.

Elizabeth Torres, 36, who protested outside a detention centre in downtown LA, articulated the dual sentiments of cultural heritage and civic pride when she told The New York Times: “I am a very proud American. But I have to show support also for our Mexican brothers and sisters.”

In the eyes of participants like Torres, the flag represents more than a nation — it’s a gesture of inclusion, a reminder of familial roots, and a protest against what they see as unjust immigration enforcement practices targeting communities like theirs.

How Trump is seeing the ‘foreign flags’

While many demonstrators see the flag as a celebration of identity, the Trump administration has interpreted it as a political provocation. The visibility of foreign flags — especially the Mexican one — became a talking point for top officials who characterized the protests as a threat to national sovereignty and law enforcement.

Vice President JD Vance posted on X: “Insurrectionists carrying foreign flags are attacking immigration enforcement officers.”

Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, echoed similar sentiments in a widely circulated social media post: “Foreign nationals, waving foreign flags, rioting and obstructing federal law enforcement attempting to expel illegal foreign invaders.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also weighed in, sharing a photo of a protester waving the Mexican flag and declaring: “The riots in Los Angeles prove that we desperately need more immigration enforcement personnel and resources. America must reverse the invasion unleashed by Joe Biden of millions of unvetted illegal aliens into our country.”

The Department of Homeland Security released multiple images and videos featuring the Mexican flag during protests, reinforcing a narrative that equates the protests with foreign interference and lawlessness.

However, legal experts and academics have pushed back on these claims, emphasizing the legality and precedent behind flag-waving in protest contexts.

Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, an associate professor of Chicana, Chicano and Central American Studies at UCLA, told CNN: “Waving a foreign flag – or even destroying an American one – is legal under freedom of expression rights protected by the Constitution’s First Amendment.”

He also pointed out that the Trump administration’s reaction to the flag is part of a broader strategy to delegitimise dissent by focusing on visual symbols:

“Invoking flags to demonise protesters is a well-documented move on the part of the Trump administration, knowing that every single demonstration of this type brings out the Mexican flag.”

What history tell us

The current Mexican flag was officially adopted in 1968, though earlier versions date back to the early 19th century during Mexico’s war for independence from Spain.

In Mexico, the use of the flag is strictly regulated by law — it can only be displayed during patriotic ceremonies, official events, or under specific conditions at schools and sports functions.

In the US, however, the flag has long played a role in immigrant rights demonstrations. Its use at protests became particularly prominent in 1994, during resistance to California’s Proposition 187.

That controversial measure sought to deny undocumented immigrants access to public services like education and healthcare. The flag was used by demonstrators at the time to assert pride in their heritage and defy exclusionary policies.

Former Mexican foreign minister Jorge Castañeda contextualised the flag’s symbolism during a recent interview with CNN: “This is something that goes back, actually, to the 1990s, when many people protested against Proposition 187 at the time. And then also the early 2000s when demonstrations all over the United States took place against several laws that were being implemented then on immigration.”

Castañeda noted that while the flag is once again central to protest visuals, most of those carrying it are likely US citizens. “Practically all of the demonstrators, all of the protesters, are American citizens,” he said.

“You would have to be quite reckless and foolish to be a Mexican citizen without papers, or even as a legal permanent resident, to go out and demonstrate today in these protests because you would most likely be arrested and deported, even if you’re a legal permanent resident and certainly if you have no papers.”

While critics argue that the use of foreign flags can undermine the effectiveness of a protest by appearing unpatriotic, many in Los Angeles view the flag as a deeply personal symbol. For them, it serves not to reject America but to advocate for a more inclusive version of it.

How waving foreign flags in US is not new

Waving foreign flags during US demonstrations is not unique to these events. Public celebrations, parades, and political rallies across the United States frequently feature foreign flags without controversy.

Puerto Rican flags were widely flown during New York City’s Puerto Rican Day Parade. Irish flags are a staple of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. In various urban enclaves, such as Little Italy or Koreatown, national banners proudly decorate businesses and neighbourhoods.

What makes the Mexican flag’s use controversial in this moment is the political context. As the Trump administration accelerates efforts to remove undocumented immigrants, invoke the Alien Enemies Act, and implement stricter immigration enforcement measures, any sign of cultural pride among immigrant communities has become a lightning rod for criticism.

The administration insists it is targeting “the worst of the worst” in its enforcement push, but immigration advocates argue that ordinary families, workers, and community members are being swept up in these operations without just cause.

With inputs from agencies