Immigrant rights activists block a Homeland Security van outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on Feb. 15, 2018. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

A crowd of immigrant rights advocates blocked a Homeland Security van late Thursday from accessing the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Video footage showed dozens of people standing in the street, in front of a marked van, chanting, "Drive out ICE!" and "Stop the deportations!" Some held signs.

Immigrant rights activists block a Homeland Security van outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A.. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

By ALENE TCHEKMEDYAN

A crowd of immigrant rights advocates blocked a Homeland Security van late Thursday from accessing the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Video footage showed dozens of people standing in the street, in front of a marked van, chanting, "Drive out ICE!" and "Stop the deportations!" Some held signs.

(February 15, 2018, Los Angeles) - Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) condemns the immigration raids that on Valentine's Day separated more than 100 people from their families. These actions are a clear sign of the Trump administration's intentions to retaliate against California for measures it has taken to protect its residents and separate the functions of local police and immigration agents.

In a recent LAPD Chief’s Directive, LAPD updated Special Order 40 and its policies that limit LAPD participation in immigration enforcement. We welcome these recent steps taken by LAPD Chief Beck and Mayor Garcetti to reduce the role of police in immigration enforcement. But LAPD must to do more to completely disentangle from the Trump Administration’s deportation machine.