Whistleblower Says Trump Ordered FBI Probe of LA ICE Protesters

A whistleblower complaint alleges that President Trump directed the FBI to open an investigation into Los Angeles protesters who demonstrated against his immigration enforcement operations, according to reporting by the Guardian, which reviewed the disclosure. The complaint identifies the whistleblower as Jill Fields, a former supervisory intelligence analyst in the FBI's Los Angeles field office. NBC News first reported on the allegations after viewing a copy of the disclosure, the Guardian noted.

What does the whistleblower allege Trump ordered?

According to Fields's complaint, as described by the Guardian, Emil Bove — then acting deputy attorney general — told Akil Davis, head of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, to open an investigation into protesters' activities outside federal buildings. Fields contends the demonstrations were protected First Amendment activity, and that several FBI employees raised concerns about the legality of the request, per the complaint reviewed by the Guardian.

Who is Jill Fields?

Fields served as a supervisory intelligence analyst inside the FBI's Los Angeles field office at the time of the events described in the complaint, the Guardian reported. She filed the disclosure after the bureau's response to anti-ICE demonstrations in February 2025.

Timeline: from the LA protests to the public disclosure

• February 2025: Protesters gather outside federal buildings and in residential areas of Los Angeles, objecting to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations tied to Trump's immigration agenda, according to the Guardian.
• February 2025 (same period): Fields alleges Bove instructs Davis to open an investigation into the protesters, despite internal objections from FBI staff about the request's legality, per the complaint.
• Oct. 6, 2026: NBC News reports on the whistleblower disclosure after reviewing a copy; the Guardian publishes its own account the same day, citing the NBC report and a statement from Sen. Alex Padilla.

Roughly 20 months separate the February 2025 protests described in the complaint from the disclosure's becoming public on Oct. 6, 2026 — the gap during which the allegations remained outside public view, based on the dates in the Guardian's account.

What role does Sen. Alex Padilla play?

Padilla, a California Democrat who sits on the Senate judiciary committee and serves as the top Democrat on its border security and immigration subcommittee, said his office received a copy of the complaint. "These allegations are deeply alarming," Padilla said in a statement quoted by the Guardian. "Using the FBI to target Americans for exercising their first amendment rights directly undermines our nation's foundational values. I won't rest until we get answers."

How has the White House responded?

The White House denied the allegations, calling them "false" and stating that "the first amendment does not protect violent rioting," according to the Guardian's report. The administration's statement does not address the specific claim that Bove directed Davis to open an investigation into protest activity.

What happens next?

Padilla's statement signals continued pressure from Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats for further documentation and testimony, the Guardian reported. No congressional hearing date or Justice Department response beyond the White House denial had been reported as of publication.