The Alert: Izzy Ramirez and LA Taco episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 30, 2026 · 52 MIN

The Alert: Izzy Ramirez and LA Taco

from The Raid · host Izzy Ramirez, John Carlos Frey

Izzy Ramirez didn't start as a journalist. He started as someone who refused to look away.  When ICE raids swept through Los Angeles last summer, Izzy was on the streets — phone in hand, posting real-time alerts, telling people where federal agents were, which neighborhoods to avoid, where families were being torn apart. He wasn't working for a newsroom. He was working for his community. And people listened. LA Taco was listening too.  The Los Angeles-based independent publication — one of the most important outlets covering immigration enforcement in Southern California — recognized what Izzy already was: a reporter. They asked him to make it official. He said yes. And he hasn't stopped since. In just a few months as a staff reporter, Izzy has covered ICE operations, deaths in detention, political corruption, and the day-to-day reality of what he doesn't hesitate to call what it is — the kidnapping of people from their homes, their jobs, their families, across Southern California. He is twenty-something years old. He has no journalism school on his résumé. What he has is the trust of the people most at risk, the instincts of someone who learned by doing, and a publication behind him that understands why that matters.  This is what accountability journalism looks like when it comes from the inside.  https://lataco.com/author/izzy-ramirez  https://theraidpodcast.org/ Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants on this program are solely their own and do not necessarily represent those of the distributor of the program and any person or entity affiliated with said distributor ("distributor's affiliates").  The distributor and distributor's affiliates are not responsible for, and shall not be liable for, the statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants, or for any content that appears on the program.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Izzy Ramirez didn't start as a journalist. He started as someone who refused to look away. When ICE raids swept through Los Angeles last summer, Izzy was on the streets — phone in hand, posting real-time alerts, telling people where federal agents were, which neighborhoods to avoid, where families were being torn apart. He wasn't working for a newsroom. He was working for his community. And people listened. LA Taco was listening too. The Los Angeles-based independent publication — one of the most important outlets covering immigration enforcement in Southern California — recognized what Izzy already was: a reporter. They asked him to make it official. He said yes. And he hasn't stopped since. In just a few months as a staff reporter, Izzy has covered ICE operations, deaths in detention, political corruption, and the day-to-day reality of what he doesn't hesitate to call what it is — the kidnapping of people from their homes, their jobs, their families, across Southern California. He is twenty-something years old. He has no journalism school on his résumé. What he has is the trust of the people most at risk, the instincts of someone who learned by doing, and a publication behind him that understands why that matters. This is what accountability journalism looks like when it comes from the inside. https://lataco.com/author/izzy-ramirez https://theraidpodcast.org/ Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants on this program are solely their own and do not necessarily represent those of the distributor of the program and any person or entity affiliated with said distributor ("distributor's affiliates"). The distributor and distributor's affiliates are not responsible for, and shall not be liable for, the statements and opinions expressed by the host or participants, or for any content that appears on the program.

NOW PLAYING

The Alert: Izzy Ramirez and LA Taco

0:00 52:02

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Raid?

This episode is 52 minutes long.

When was this The Raid episode published?

This episode was published on April 30, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Izzy Ramirez didn't start as a journalist. He started as someone who refused to look away.  When ICE raids swept through Los Angeles last summer, Izzy was on the streets — phone in hand, posting real-time alerts, telling people where federal agents...

Can I download this The Raid episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!