Surprise, Surprise: CHIRLA Caught Violating Election Law by Undercover Reporter

Our friends over at the illegal alien advocacy group in Los Angeles known as CHIRLA (Committee for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles) have hosted a one-day "flex vote center" at their headquarters for a few election cycles now, and while anyone with a brain suspected that there was some shenanigans going on. The organization is one of the many leftist NGOs taking part in a coordinated lawfare swarm against the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security that started the day the DOJ sent that thumb drive with the names of 20,000 likely noncitizens on California's voter rolls, and they're at the center of anti-ICE violence in Southern California (using taxpayer dollars, as RedState reported in June 2025).

One thing those taxpayer dollars funded is their headquarters building near downtown Los Angeles, the site of the flex vote center. On Friday we shared this video showing CHIRLA photographing and video recording voters entering and exiting the polling place, and even casting their ballots, in violation of California law.

Prohibited conduct "within the immediate vicinity of a person in line to cast their ballot or within 100 ft of the entrance of a polling place, drop box": "DO NOT engage in electioneering; photograph or record a voter entering or exiting a polling place CHIRLA today - a LA County Flex Vote Center

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) October 31, 2026

A few journalists from City Journal were there, undercover, and reported what they found.

EXCLUSIVE: Last week, we went undercover to the left-wing nonprofit CHIRLA, which was operating an official LA voting station in its offices. They told our reporter to vote for left-wing Democrats. CHIRLA has received more than $100M in taxpayer funds—and is violating the law. https://t.co/p7b1rWuItx

— Christopher Rufo (@christopherrufo) November 4, 2026

They were taken into a separate room to receive "help" with their ballot, and the CHIRLA employee went through the ballot line-by-line with them, sharing the group's endorsements.

Inside, we discovered that CHIRLA was hosting an official L.A. County voting station, with multiple Smartmatic voting tablets and a ballot drop box. After we entered, a woman wearing a neon vest gave us a state-issued voter guide. 

We returned to the main room, where a man in a CHIRLA polo shirt, whom we later identified as one of the nonprofit’s employees, agreed to help us vote. He took us into an adjoining room, then went through our ballot line-by-line and relayed endorsements for various races.

“Starting with here, the city, we’ve endorsed Karen Bass,” the employee said, pointing at the incumbent mayor’s name on the ballot. “For the city attorney, we’ve endorsed Marissa Roy.”

The employee also recommended Xavier Becerra for governor and Rob Bonta for attorney general, noting that Bonta, in particular, has been “very supportive.” Though he had mentioned that we were “free to vote” for other candidates, the “endorsements” were crystal clear.

So, what are the odds that the "very supportive" Attorney General Bonta will prosecute them? Slim to none.

However, CHIRLA could be in a lot of trouble with the IRS, since they're a 501(c)(3) and this all happened in their offices.

It reminds me of this video from 2018, the first year ballot harvesting was legal in California (and in which the GOP lost seven House seats in the state). This lady, "Lulu" was offering to "help" a Democrat voter fill out his ballot, then return it for him.

Wouldn't be surprised if she was funded by CHIRLA.

CHIRLA's response to City Journal:

“Our Civic Engagement staff are trained to give every voter who asks for assistance clear, accurate guidance. This is yet another example of the dirty, underhanded tactics anti-immigrant opponents have used to target CHIRLA because of who we are.”

Oh, please.

Editor's Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.

Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.