Two weeks ago, scores of masked, gun-totingfederal immigration agents assembledin front of the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles. Inside the museum, Gov. Gavin Newsom was surrounded by nearly every powerful Democrat in California, preparing to announce that he wouldtake on President Trump's redistricting planswith a special election campaign. Outside, Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino was flanked by dozens of agents who looked ready for battle. Now, a number of Southern California members of Congress are demanding answers about the enforcement action outside Newsom's news conference — and the decision-making process behind it — in a letter sent Tuesday to Department of Homeland Security leaders. "We just wanted to get some questions answered," said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who spearheaded the letter. "I was at Newsom's press conference. It was really shocking to have as many as a hundred federal officers in tactical gear just appear." The letter was sent to Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons and White House border advisor Tom Homan. It was signed by at least 12 other congressional Democrats, including Sen. Alex Padilla and Reps. Judy Chu (Monterey Park), Gil Cisneros (Covina), Robert Garcia (Long Beach), Luz Rivas (North Hollywood), Ted Lieu (Torrance), Nanette Diaz Barragán (San Pedro) and Brad Sherman (Sherman Oaks). Read more:Border Patrol agents stage show of force at Newsom's 'big beautiful press conference' The letter requests that answers to a number of questions be provided in writing by Sept. 4. The group asked who originally made the request to deploy agents outside the Japanese American National Museum on Aug. 14; whether the subject matter of Newsom's news conference was a consideration in the decision to deploy federal agents; and whether the size of the force was standard; and what operational criteria were used to determine the size and composition of the force deployed. As the agents massed outside the building, Newsom was announcing a plan to counter aRepublican-led redistricting pushbyredrawing California's own congressional districtsto favor Democrats. Last week, the California Legislatureapproved a November special electionwhere voters will decide the fate of the measure. Read more:News Analysis: Newsom's decision to fight fire with fire could have profound political consequences The letter also asks for details about the two arrests made during the Little Tokyo operation and whether Homeland Security knew those individuals would be present when it decided to conduct its immigration enforcement action. One of the individuals arrestedhappened to be delivering strawberriesas the agents convened at the museum. He now faces deportation to Mexico. "It was outrageous that Trump and his supporters called ICE on us as we were conducting our redistricting press conference," Chu said. "It was clearly an attempt to intimidate us and to send a political message that he would use his law enforcement capabilities to make us feel afraid." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.