Mexico’s green, white and red flag has emerged as a defining symbol of the ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles, CNN reported. Demonstrators have been waving the Mexican flag alongside those of other Latin American countries and the United States to express solidarity with immigrants and to protest against recent federal raids.

Los Angeles has been roiled in protests since Friday, when ICE officers conducted raids at several workplaces in the city’s garment district. While initially peaceful, the protests have led to dozens of arrests and some violent clashes.

President Donald Trump deployed thousands of National Guard troops and Marines, sparking outrage from Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who described the mobilization as an “illegal takeover” and a “blatant abuse of power.”

The Mexican flag has been a longstanding symbol in immigration protests, especially in LA, which is seen as the capital of the Mexican diaspora in the US. According to Census data, over 3.4 million people of Mexican heritage or birth live in Los Angeles County–more than any other US county.

Republican leaders have criticized the prominence of the flag. “Insurrectionists carrying foreign flags are attacking immigration enforcement officers,” Vice President JD Vance wrote on X. Senator Markwayne Mullin told CNN’s Dana Bash, “They were literally out there protesting, carrying a foreign flag. That is absolutely insane. They’re not just peaceful protesters. These are illegals.”

The Department of Homeland Security has circulated images showing protesters clashing with police while waving the Mexican flag. Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, described the demonstrators on social media as “foreign nationals, waving foreign flags, rioting and obstructing federal law enforcement attempting to expel illegal foreign invaders.”

Despite criticism, protesters and academics defended the symbolic use of the flag. Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a UCLA professor, said such demonization of symbols 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.”

The Department of Homeland Security has circulated images showing protesters clashing with police while waving the Mexican flag. Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, described the demonstrators on social media as “foreign nationals, waving foreign flags, rioting and obstructing federal law enforcement attempting to expel illegal foreign invaders.”

Despite criticism, protesters and academics defended the symbolic use of the flag. Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a UCLA professor, said such demonization of symbols 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.”

Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger told CNN the optics were poor: “The visuals of the Mexican flag at protests are terrible, honestly… I just think that it would be much stronger if they were carrying American flags only.”

The flag’s presence in protests has deep roots. Jorge Castaneda, former Mexican foreign minister, said, “This is something that goes back to the 1990s, when many people protested against Proposition 187,” adding that most demonstrators today are likely American citizens. He noted it would be “quite reckless and foolish” for undocumented individuals to protest publicly due to deportation risks.

Republican strategist Mike Madrid argued in the Sacramento Bee that waving the Mexican flag “transforms what should be a debate about American constitutional rights and due process into a conversation about foreign loyalty and cultural assimilation.”

However, others see the flag as a symbol of unity and identity. “The flags mean their families. The flags mean their communities. It’s not about having an international invasion,” Hinojosa-Ojeda said.

Antonio Rodriguez, an organizer with the Brown Berets, said, “I don’t necessarily think just because somebody has pride in their culture that they’re un-American… Waving a Mexican flag, for us, is showing pride in our culture and our family.”