Long Beach, California, mayoral candidate Rogelio Martinez has rolled out a controversial new plan to drive ICE agents out of the city. In an amateurish and borderline farcical campaign video, Martinez called on the city’s 55 gang leaders to unite against federal law enforcement.
Standing in front of Long Beach City Hall, he said he was “calling all 55 gangs in my beautiful city. I expect a gang leader from every gang. … I’m calling the Latino gangs. I’m calling the Cambodian gangs. I’m calling the Filipino gangs. I’m calling the black gangs. I’m calling the Pacific Islander gangs.
“I’m calling all gang leaders to meet me right here … this coming Monday… I need you to be here to meet me in person to take back this city. Because our leadership isn’t doing anything about it, and our police are powerless.”
He insisted that he wants this done “peacefully, but with strong force. … Enough is enough.”
Martinez rambled on. He repeated his call to action and explained that this is the only way he knows how to get ICE out of Long Beach.
I’m not quite sure which was more breathtaking: the insanity of this idea or Martinez’s naïve belief that any gang leader would actually show up to his meeting.
Twitter influencer @CynicalPublius posted the video with the caption, “When criminal gangs start working for Leftist government, you’ve just made @KurtSchlichter into a modern day Nostradamus.”
A commentary writer for Townhall, Schlichter has warned about similar scenarios in his novels.
Although President Donald Trump increased his margins in Long Beach from 22.5% in 2016 to 30.5% in 2024, the city’s electorate — like much of California — remains deeply blue.
With no official candidates yet declared in the city’s mayoral race, it is unclear whether Martinez has any realistic path to victory. Still, it is striking that any prospective candidate would openly campaign on enlisting gang leaders to help expel federal agents from a U.S. city.
Local media outlet Long Beach Classic has recently begun publishing a series of profiles of likely mayoral candidates, with Martinez featured first. While I may be reading too much into their decision to lead with Martinez, it nonetheless suggests his candidacy is being taken seriously.
Asked why he was running, Martinez said he wants his grandsons to grow up knowing that if their grandfather could take on such a big challenge, there’s nothing beyond their reach.
Martinez, who has never run for public office, takes enormous pride in his city, which he described as “one of the best in America, not because of any single feature, but because of its people.”
The experience that has shaped him the most was “spending time going through the homelessness system himself to understand how it actually works. Rather than studying it from the outside, Martinez chose to experience it firsthand. What he found, he says, was a system filled with gaps that can easily push people into long-term homelessness.”
When asked what frustrated him about the city, “he spoke about industrial properties and vacant buildings that sit neglected for years, becoming magnets for fires, overdoses, and emergency calls that cost the city money while worsening homelessness and public safety.”
There was nothing particularly noteworthy in his profile. It made no mention of his proposal to rid the city of ICE agents.
Who knows? His novel approach may resonate with voters in this progressive city.
And while X accounts, American AF, and Cynical Publius are both conservative, Martinez’s campaign video sparked outrage among their followers. Here are a few of the most memorable responses:
Martinez may see his campaign as an act of civic pride or personal conviction, but his call to involve gang leaders in confronting federal law enforcement crosses the line. Whether it’s a publicity stunt or he actually believes the idea could work, this episode reflects a growing willingness by the Left to blur the boundaries between governance and criminality.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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