Immigration agents use tear gas during operation in Westlake District, witnesses say

Witnesses tell CBS News LA that federal agents deployed tear gas during an immigration operation in the Westlake District on Thursday morning. 

The immigration sweep began around 7 a.m. near the Carecen Labor Center, located off Union Avenue and 6th Street. Agents arrested eight undocumented immigrants, three of whom "had extensive rap sheets for crimes including visa overstay, possession of a controlled substance and grand theft," according to the Department of Homeland Security. 

The agency did not comment on the use of tear gas during the operation. 

Immigration advocates said the use of tear gas was unjustified.

"There was no resistance," said Jorge Mario Cabrera, spokesperson for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. "There was no need to use this tear gas."

Joshua Erazo, who works at the Carecen Labor Center, described the operation as "chaos" with people "running for their lives." 

"A lot of people are running up the street, down the street," Erazo said. "A lot of people not knowing where to go, where to hide. You see people trip, fall on their knees."

Erazo said this is the third immigration operation outside of the labor center. 

"I would say it's intensified each time," Erazo said. "Last time, there was the Trojan horse operation where we saw border patrol in a Penske truck get out and take people."