Storming the Streets: Trump Sends National Guard to L.A., Amid Clashes Over Migrants
- "The administration is taking a firm stance against criminal activities and violence, particularly when it's directed towards law enforcement," declared government spokesperson Leavitt. She swiftly pointed the finger at the "clueless" Democratic leaders in Los Angeles and California for the present predicament.
Military Deployment to L.A.: Trump Orders National Guard Over Migrant Protests - Nationwide Deportation Operations: Trump Dispatches National Guard to Los Angeles for Demonstrations
Trump applauded the National Guard through his Believe Social Network just past midnight, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared that the soldiers had yet to arrive, even with AFP reporters in Los Angeles reporting no National Guard presence. Trump took aim at the mayor and governor using the derogatory nickname "Newscum"-a blend of the English words "scum" and "news."
"If Governor Gavin Newscum and Mayor Karen Bass can't do their job, which we all know they can't, then the federal government will step in and tackle the issue," Trump clarified. "We'll then deal with 'riots and looters' as needed."
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hinted at the potential mobilization of the US Army. "If the unrest continues, Marine infantrymen stationed at Camp Pendleton will also be activated-they're on high alert," Hegseth explained via social networks.
The National Guard last saw action in California in 2020 during the unrest that followed George Floyd's death at the hands of police.
Governor Newsom rebuked the deployment of the National Guard through the X network. "This measure is designed to escalate tensions," he penned. His administration is working closely with local and city authorities and there's no immediate requirement for reinforcements.
Newsom further wrote, "The feds are looking for a spectacle. Avoid giving them one. Eschew violence at all costs. Express yourself peacefully."
Mayor Bass had already denounced the federal authorities' actions against migrants on Friday. "We're making Los Angeles safer," Tom Homan, who Trump had tasked with mass deportations, countered on Fox News. "Mayor Bass should thank us." According to the US Department of Homeland Security, 118 individuals, including five gang members, were arrested by ICE agents within a week.
Vice-Director of the US federal police, the FBI's Dan Bongino, stated that arrests were made during the protests in Los Angeles on Friday. "You stir chaos; we bring handcuffs," he penned on X. "Law and order will prevail."
For the second consecutive day, violent clashes occurred between federal agents and angry protesters after masked, armed federal agents conducted raids against migrants in Los Angeles and paramount suburbs. Protesters hurled objects like fireworks at agents and attempted to block a vehicle from leaving. The federal agents utilized stun grenades and tear gas and took some demonstrators into custody.
News outlets reported that some demonstrators set fire to the American flag on Friday, while barricades were erected using concrete blocks and shopping carts.
On Friday, angry protesters in Los Angeles chased an ICE vehicle convoy and bombarded officers with eggs. Police quelled the crowd using stun grenades. The protests resulted from raids in several neighborhoods, which led to numerous migrants being detained.
The nationwide raids are the outcome of Trump's immigration policy, which he implemented soon after taking leadership in January, targeting mass deportations of immigrants. At the core of the right-wing populist's campaign were prejudiced and dehumanizing slogans against migrants, whom he grouped as "foreign criminals."
- Donald Trump
- Los Angeles
- Immigrants
- California
- National Guard
- US President
- Karen Bass
- Karoline Leavitt
- Gavin Newsom
- Federal agency
- Raids
- Washington
- Federal government
- Disturbance
- Pete Hegseth
- US Army
- Pendleton
- Donald Trump, via his Believe Social Network, praised the National Guard's potential deployment to Los Angeles, expressing frustration with the city's Democratic leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom.
- The US President's decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles comes in response to ongoing clashes involving federal agents, protesters, and immigrants, as part of the execution of his immigration policy enacted soon after taking office.
