Penske Truck Leasing publicly condemned federal immigration agents for using their rental vehicles in a Los Angeles raid.

Story Highlights

• DHS agents used Penske trucks as cover during August 6 immigration raid at LA Home Depot, arresting 16 individuals
• Penske immediately distanced itself from the operation, claiming agents violated company policies against transporting people
• The raid targeted known gathering spots for day laborers in the Westlake area, continuing Trump administration enforcement priorities
• Conservative Americans are calling for Penske boycotts after the company’s public rebuke of federal law enforcement

Federal Agents Execute Strategic Operation Using Commercial Cover

DHS agents conducted a pre-dawn immigration enforcement operation on August 6, 2025, at a Home Depot parking lot in Los Angeles’s Westlake district. Federal officers arrived at approximately 7:00 a.m. using Penske rental trucks and vans to approach the location without detection. The agents blocked parking lot exits and detained individuals suspected of lacking legal immigration status. This tactical approach allowed officers to position themselves strategically before suspects could flee the area.

Penske Truck Rentals responds to immigration raids in LA this morning: “The company was not made aware that its trucks would be used in today’s operation and did not authorize this.”

LOL 🤡 pic.twitter.com/8cinmrL2LV

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 6, 2025

Penske Prioritizes Corporate Relations Over Law Enforcement Support

Within hours of the operation, Penske issued a public statement condemning the federal agents’ use of their vehicles. The company declared that it “strictly prohibits the transportation of people in the cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances” and claimed ignorance of the operation’s purpose. Penske pledged to reinforce its policies with DHS, effectively positioning itself against federal immigration enforcement efforts. This corporate stance demonstrates how private companies increasingly choose political correctness over supporting constitutional law enforcement operations.

Watch: Federal agents use Penske truck in raid outside Westlake Home Depot

Community Activists Mobilize Against Lawful Immigration Enforcement

Local advocacy groups, including the LA Tenants Union, immediately criticized the federal operation and spread videos of the arrests across social media platforms. These groups characterized the enforcement action as “chaotic and indiscriminate,” despite DHS statements that the operation specifically targeted criminal illegal aliens. The activists’ response follows a predictable pattern of opposing any meaningful immigration enforcement, regardless of the criminal backgrounds of those detained. Their mobilization efforts aim to generate public sympathy for individuals who violated federal immigration laws.

Operation Continues Trump Administration’s Immigration Priorities

The Westlake raid represents the Trump administration’s commitment to removing criminal illegal aliens from American communities, particularly in sanctuary jurisdictions like Los Angeles. DHS officials emphasized that the operation targeted individuals connected to criminal activity, not law-abiding residents. The choice of location—a known gathering spot for day laborers—reflects strategic intelligence gathering about illegal immigration patterns. This enforcement action demonstrates federal determination to restore immigration law compliance despite local political resistance and corporate interference from companies like Penske.

Sources:

Penske rebukes DHS after agents pop out of trucks during immigration raid
Federal agents use Penske truck to raid Home Depot parking lot in Westlake, Los Angeles
More raids: Home Depot in MacArthur Park raided