On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump repeatedly said he would prioritise deporting noncitizens accused of violent crimes. That promise received widespread support, even among Hispanic immigrant groups.
But in recent weeks, the administration has stepped up its targets, pushing to increase their arrests from about 660 to 3,000 a day.
To do that, they have widened their net, targeting not just criminals but workplaces where many undocumented workers do jobs that are vital for the economy - from farming to factory work - and pay taxes.
"Just go out there and arrest illegal aliens," Stephen Miller, a top White House adviser, reportedly told Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials before they launched the recent LA raids.
According to the Wall Street Journal, he told them they did not need to produce target lists of suspected illegal immigrants, a longstanding practice, and should instead raid major businesses to arrest as many as possible.
Car-wash owner Mehmet Aydogan said the agents did not ask for IDs before placing the men in handcuffs and swiftly driving them away.
"They were not doing anything criminal," he said, noting the raids were quick and lasted less than a minute. "Everyone is hardworking."