• by Ray Schultz , Yesterday

Journalists are part of a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Defendant Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using “unnecessary and excessive violence to prevent them from exercising their First Amendment rights to report on, observe, and protest government actions.”

Named as defendants are Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security and the department. 

The plaintiffs include the Los Angeles Press Club, NewsGuild-Communications Workers of America and journalists Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, Ryanne Mena, Lexis-Olivier Ray, Charles Xu, Benjamin Adam Climer, and Abigail Olmeda.

The suit concerns actions to control anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and court costs. 

DHS “violated Plaintiffs’ rights through retaliation, through targeting them without probable cause, and through the misuse of weaponry, including, without limitation, chemical agents such as tear gas, rubber bullets, impact munitions, pepper balls, pepper spray, exploding grenades, batons, fists, and other weapons,” the complaint asserts.

“This conduct has intimidated journalists and reduced the number of media members who are willing or physically able to observe and document the protests,” it adds.

“Since June 6, at least seven members of our organization have been subject to use of force or suffered a serious press rights violation by DHS officers,” says Adam Rose, press rights chair of the Los Angeles Press Club. “This number doesn’t include dozens of incidents with minor amounts of tear gas or similar chemical weapons...Democracy depends on an informed public. An informed public depends on a press free to do its job without fearing violence by federal agents.”

One purported victim was Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, who has produced video news stories for media outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Good Morning America and Al Jazeera. 

On June 7, “Homeland Security Investigators “shot Mr. Beckner-Carmitchel in the head with a  rubber bullet in Paramount. And, on June 8, 2025,” the complaint alleges. “Mr. Beckner-Carmitchel was shot  with a pepper ball in his press pass as he observed DHS officers indiscriminately shoot tear gas and pepper balls into a group of press and protesters.” 

Recently, the Los Angeles Press Club sued the city of Los Angeles and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell for using excessive force against journalists during the recent anti-ICE protests, claiming, “Being a journalist in Los Angeles is now a dangerous profession.”