After Department of Homeland Security agents arrived in Penske trucks at a Home Depot near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles Wednesday morning to do a bit of immigration enforcement, the rage mob went after Penske for allowing their trucks to be used in that fashion. Within two hours, the company bent the knee - but the carefully-curated statement exposed the company's selective application of both policy and outrage.
Before we get to Penske's statement, a bit of background. Wednesday's early-morning operation was carried out at that location to send a message to MS-13, which has controlled the park and the area around it for years now.
It was also a bit of an extended middle finger to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who happily proclaimed just days ago that she'd booted ICE out of her city.
DIVE DEEPER: Pete Hegseth Has a Chef's Kiss Response After Karen Bass Celebrates 'Troops Retreating' From LA
Federal immigration officers in Southern California have had to contend with a highly-organized opposition network which broadcasts in almost real-time photos and videos of vehicles allegedly being used by DHS/ICE, which the anti-ICE crowd label "kidnapper" vehicles. Obviously, that makes it more difficult for DHS/ICE to have the element of surprise when showing up at a workplace raid. Fortunately for federal agents, The Home Depot rents Penske trucks at its locations, so a Penske truck wouldn't look out of place or arouse suspicion in a Home Depot parking lot. Problem solved.
Well, mostly. Another tactic used by the opposition network (led by our friends at CHIRLA) is to loudly bully companies they believe are assisting the government in enforcing the law and call for boycotts. In this case, it wouldn't be surprising to find Penske trucks vandalized throughout Southern California as payback. So, Penske issued this statement.
It reads:
Penske Truck Rental is aware of recent reports and videos regarding a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation in Los Angeles.
Penske strictly prohibits the transportation of people in the cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances. 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.
Oh, so they don't allow people to ride in the cargo area "under any circumstances"? That's undoubtedly the case, given the massive liability issues and potential for injury. But, as Sean Davis, editor over at The Federalist, pointed out, Penske didn't make a public statement when human traffickers used one of their trucks - driven by an illegal alien - to smuggle 59 illegal aliens into the country in 2023.
How did that illegal alien have a valid driver's license and insurance, Penske? Was he listed on the rental agreement? Do you also prohibit crowding nearly 60 people in the cargo area of your vehicles, whether they're moving or not? Have you reached out to human traffickers to reinforce your policies and avoid improper use of your vehicles in the future?
It should be noted that while caption of the video from Fox News' Matt Finn, who was embedded with the officers, says they arrived in the Penske truck, the video doesn't show the truck in motion at all. Finn hasn't filed his story as of the time of publication, so it's unclear whether the truck actually moved at all during Wednesday's operation.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
Help us hold these leftists accountable and expose their obstruction. Join RedState and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.