Penske truck rental has criticized the use of its vehicles in a federal Department of Homeland Security operation conducted this week at a Los Angeles Home Depot. 

The Wednesday raid, which led to the arrest of 16 people, has prompted the company to address what it called “improper use” of its trucks in such activities.  

“Penske strictly prohibits the transportation of people in the cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances,” the company wrote in a social media post after images of the raid went viral.

“The company was not made aware that its trucks would be used in today’s operation and did not authorize this. Penske will reach out to DHS and reinforce its policy to avoid improper use of its vehicles in the future,” it said.  

But the truck rental company released no such statement when border agents busted an alleged human smuggler in Texas with 58 migrants packed in the back of a Penske truck back in April 2023. 

The Wednesday operation, executed around 7 a.m., was named “Operation Trojan Horse” by law enforcement. Federal officials, including U.S. Border Patrol agents, were transported to the area in the rear of a yellow Penske rental truck. The agents reportedly emerged from the vehicle to confront a group located near a sidewalk food stand, leading the crowd to disperse.  

The 16 people detained during the raid were placed inside the Penske truck used during the operation. The public nature of the raid has reignited outcry over the methods employed in federal immigration enforcement efforts.  

The raid comes in the wake of a recent federal court ruling that placed restrictions on immigration enforcement operations within the area. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order last month, stating that such operations violated the Fourth Amendment and may have involved unlawful detention of individuals without reasonable suspicion. 

The injunction was met with resistance from the federal government, which has since appealed the ruling, though the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has not granted a stay.  

Wednesday’s operation was criticized by the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, who expressed strong concerns during a community press conference.  

“It’s hard for me to believe that this raid was consistent with the court order,” Ms. Bass said. “What I saw on the video, what I saw on the pictures that were sent to me, looked like the same guys chasing people through a Home Depot.”  

The acting U.S. attorney for Los Angeles, Bill Essayli, defended the operation. “For those who thought immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again,” Mr. Essayli wrote on X. “The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable, and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government.”  

Immigration raids and enforcement activities have sparked significant unrest in the Los Angeles area in recent months. The latest operation follows protests that erupted in June over immigration enforcement, which escalated into clashes with authorities. 

During those incidents, President Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to the region, a decision that drew both local and state criticism, including sharp rebukes from Governor Newsom.