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There were around 6% fewer Los Angeles Metro bus and train riders in June compared to the same time last year, a drop that coincides with a more visible uptick in federal immigration enforcement, anti-ICE protests and a weeklong curfew in downtown L.A.<\/a><\/p>\n The systemwide analysis<\/p>\n June 2025 saw the fewest number of riders compared to any month since last February, according to an LAist analysis of Metro ridership data. The analysis looked at how many people rode every bus and train route each month since January 2024.<\/p>\n Metro said reduction in riders could also to some extent be attributed to the 70-day closure of the D Line, <\/a>which is scheduled to end later this month.<\/p>\n Compared to May, before widespread immigration enforcement began, ridership in June fell by more than 13%, or 3.7 million people.<\/p>\n Reductions between May and June of any year could be attributed to seasonal changes, modifications to people\u2019s daily routines and the end of the school year, according to Metro.<\/p>\n Indeed, there was a decrease in ridership between May and June of last year, as well. That dip in ridership, around 7%, was smaller than the one observed this year.<\/p>\n Popular bus routes saw decline<\/p>\n LAist\u2019s analysis found that the same 11 bus routes consistently had the highest ridership each month between January 2024 and June 2025. Nearly all of those bus routes saw a decline in ridership between June 2024 and June 2025.<\/p>\n Bus routes 16, 18, 51 and 70 had around 10% fewer riders in June 2025 compared to the same time last year. Those buses were re-routed during anti-ICE protests in downtown L.A. last month, among other bus routes.<\/p>\n Among Metro\u2019s trains, the C Line saw the largest relative drop in riders between June 2024 and June 2025. There were 26% fewer riders, or a difference of nearly 150,000 people, between the two months.<\/p>\n The C line runs from Norwalk to the newly opened LAX Metro Transit Center.<\/p>\n The K Line<\/p>\n The K Line bucked the trend with ridership more than doubling over the year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is likely due to the opening of the LAX Metro Transit Center, as it provides access to the airport, but also opened up access for K Line riders to more parts of the Metro system,\u201d a Metro spokesperson said in an email.<\/p>\n The LAX Metro Transit Center opened in early June.<\/a><\/p>\n The second largest relative hike in ridership on the K Line since January of last year occurred between May and June 2025, when there was a 35% increase in riders.<\/p>\n Immigration enforcement and Metro<\/p>\n There haven\u2019t been any confirmed reports of immigration officers boarding Metro buses and trains.<\/p>\n Immigration officers in June asked patrons about their immigration status at the El Monte train station. They were reportedly present for 15 minutes, and no one was detained.<\/p>\n The official Metro Reddit account confirmed \u201creports of ICE officers\u201d at the Metro Harbor Gateway Station on July 1.<\/p>\n \u201cMetro can confirm that their presence was the result of a spillover from ICE enforcement activity at a nearby Home Depot,\u201d according to a comment<\/a> the account made on a post.<\/p>\n How to reach me<\/p>\n If you have a tip, you can reach me on Signal. My username is kharjai.61.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n