Trump border czar threatens LA arrests for anyone who may 'cross that line'
Trump border czar threatens LA arrests for anyone who may 'cross that line' When asked whether Newsom or Bass could be subject to arrest if they hinder operations, Tom Homan said, 'I'll say it about anybody. You cross that line, it's a felony.'
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Trump orders troops to LA as agents, protesters clash over immigration
President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to combat violent protesters opposed to immigration enforcement.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan said immigration enforcement will continue in Los Angeles and did not rule out arrests for California officials if they interfere with the administration's efforts.
In an interview with NBC News on June 7, Homan said, 'I'm telling you what, we're going to keep enforcing law every day in L.A. Every day in L.A., we're going to enforce immigration law. I don't care if they like it or not.'
Trump had deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to quell the protests in Los Angeles, a move that was criticized by California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Both Newsom and Bass have argued it would only escalate tensions in the area.
Homan has previously warned that anyone who stands in the way of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations or harbors an undocumented immigrant would face consequences, such as arrest.
When asked whether Newsom or Bass could be subject to arrest if they hinder operations on the ground, Homan said, 'I'll say it about anybody. You cross that line, it's a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It's a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.'
He added that he doesn't think Bass has 'crossed the line yet.' But if she does, he said, 'we'll ask DOJ to prosecute.'
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE operations have resulted in the arrests of 118 undocumented immigrants last week in Los Angeles, including five alleged gang members and others with criminal records for smuggling, drug trafficking and assault.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
The Deportation Wars Begin
Rounding up and deporting millions of illegal migrants was never going to go down without protest. But President Trump is determined to do it, and no one can say he didn't tell voters during the campaign. But there are risks for both sides of this dispute, and especially for the country if it turns violent and triggers a military response from the White House. The weekend's clashes in Los Angeles are a sign of what could be ahead. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been staging raids around the city hunting for migrants, including at businesses where they are thought to work. Workers, union leaders and pro-migrant activists hit the streets in protest. The clashes turned nasty in some places, some officers were hurt, and ICE and local police made arrests, including of a prominent union leader for interfering with federal officers. President Trump then invoked a little-used law to override what is typically state control and sent in 2,000 troops from the California National Guard. Cue the outrage from Democrats and cries of law-breaking on both sides.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Scott Bessent Accuses Gavin Newsom of Threatening 'Tax Evasion'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of "threatening to commit criminal tax evasion" after the Democratic leader suggested in a social media post that the state should consider withholding federal tax payments in response to possible funding cuts from the Trump administration. Newsweek has reached out to Newsom's press office for comment via email on Sunday. Why It Matters The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from various state programs and institutions, including research and education programs. Last week, CNN reported that the administration is considering cutting grant funding to the University of California and California State University systems. In late-May, President Donald Trump threatened to pull "large scale federal funding" from the Golden State unless it bars transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. Bessent's remarks come amid ongoing tensions between federal, state, and local authorities as protests continue in Los Angeles, which were sparked following immigration raids during which police followed the Trump administration's directives to arrest people. Some protesters have thrown rocks at officers, with one allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail, and burning items in the streets. Agents have used tear gas on the crowds. The clashes highlight deepening conflicts between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration policy, as Trump has implemented sweeping changes through executive orders and deployed the National Guard against local leaders wishes. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 7. Inset: California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks in West Hollywood, California, on March 26. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 7. Inset: California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks in West Hollywood, California, on March 26. Photo by Corine Solberg/Sipa USA/Aaron Schwartz/AP Images What To Know On Friday, Newsom shared a screenshot of a CNN article on X, formerly Twitter, about the Trump administration's potential move to cut federal funding to the state, writing, "Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it's time to cut that off." Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it's time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 6, 2025 His post followed a CNN report that the Trump administration is targeting California's public university system over alleged antisemitism on campus. The administration has already taken similar action against Harvard University. California is the most populous state in the country with over 39 million people. It leads all the states in federal tax collection, with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting that California contributed around $806 billion to total IRS collections in the 2024 fiscal year, which is about 15 percent of the national total. A recent analysis by the Rockefeller Institute of Government found the state contributed $83.1 billion more in federal taxes in 2022 than it received back. In response to the governor, Bessent, who oversees the IRS, wrote in an X post on Sunday: "Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening to commit criminal tax evasion. His plan: defraud the American taxpayer and leave California residents on the hook for unpaid federal taxes." Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening to commit criminal tax evasion. His plan: defraud the American taxpayer and leave California residents on the hook for unpaid federal taxes. (1/3) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) June 8, 2025 In a follow up post, he wrote: "I am certain most California businesses know that failing to pay taxes owed to the Treasury constitutes tax evasion and have no intention of following the dangerous path Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening." In a third post, the treasury secretary called the governor's comments "extremely reckless." Federal law defines a willful attempt to evade or defeat federal taxes as a felony under United States law. The public clash comes as Newsom is sparring with Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over deployment of the National Guard, and potentially active-military Marines, following protests in California sparked over federal immigration enforcement operations. Hegseth wrote in a Saturday evening post on X that in addition to mobilizing guards, nearby Marines may also be called upon, writing, "And, if violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert." What People Are Saying White House spokesperson Kush Desai told CNN in a Friday statement: "No taxpayer should be forced to fund the demise of our country," in regard to certain California policies related to energy and immigration. "No final decisions, however, on any potential future action by the Administration have been made, and any discussion suggesting otherwise should be considered pure speculation." Robert Rivas, speaker of the California State Assembly, wrote in a BlueSky post about the CNN article on Friday: "This is unconstitutional and vindictive. We're the nation's economic engine and the largest donor state, and deserve our fair share. I'll use every legal and constitutional tool available to defend CA -- we must look at every option, including withholding federal taxes." What Happens Next? The tension between the Trump administration and Newsom don't show signs of easing.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Paramount, a proud Latino suburb, thrust into center of Trump crackdown
Jessica Juarez walked along Alondra Boulevard with a trash bag full of spent gas canisters, her voice hoarse as she helped clean her community with other residents Sunday morning. The volunteers were parents and neighbors in Paramount, armed with plastic bags, latex gloves and face masks. An acrid odor lingered in the air the day after law enforcement fired gas canisters and flash bang grenades at protesters on Alondra Boulevard. 'I'm proud of our community, of the strength we showed,' Juarez, 40, said. 'It's like they put so much fear into Paramount, and for what? These guys didn't even clean up after themselves.' Paramount was thrown into the national spotlight over the weekend as the Trump administration on Saturday said it would send 2,000 National Guard troops into Los Angeles after a second day in which protesters confronted immigration agents during raids of local businesses. Tension rose again Sunday in the Los Angeles area as protesters faced off with federal and local authorities in downtown L.A. Paramount, a small city of 54,000 in southeastern Los Angeles County, is known for how its residents and government officials worked in the 1980s to transform their hometown from a blighted 'rust belt' community to one that gained national awards. The city's website says that crime in Paramount, where more than 80% of residents are Latino, has fallen to all-time lows. Residents say the chaotic clashes between federal immigration authorities and protesters on Saturday left them shaken. Scorch marks in the intersection outside the Home Depot on Alondra Boulevard show where flash bang grenades went off. Multiple police agencies responded to the city over the weekend. By Sunday morning, a group of camouflaged National Guard troops were stationed in a business park with armored vehicles where a Department of Homeland Security office is located. Union organizers and local residents Ardelia Aldridge and Alejandro Maldonado helped organize a cleanup effort in the neighborhood. 'It's solidarity Sunday,' Aldridge said. The images of Paramount shrouded in smoke and flanked by police in riot gear were a far cry from the close-knit community that was once named an 'All-America City' and received a special commendation from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for its turnaround. 'The whole community is just praying that things stay peaceful and the community moves forward,' Mayor Peggy Lemons said in an interview on Sunday. 'Paramount was all about a community of blue-collar workers who are doing their best to get by every day,' Lemons said. 'Today there are people who are angry about the federal government coming into their city,' she said. 'That comes from fear.' On Saturday, federal officers fired smoke canisters at protesters near the business park, and that putrid green smoke descended onto the nearby residential community. 'What else do you call it but an attack on Paramount and the people who live here?' Maldonado said. 'People in the community were standing up to unjust immigration policies.' In many ways, Paramount became the starting point for the escalating federal response that has brought the National Guard. 'It really does seem like they wanted to pick a fight with the little guy,' Aldridge said. There's a palpable fear in the community, Pastor Brian Warth at Chapel of Change said as a band played an upbeat song during Sunday service. He watched Saturday afternoon as police fired tear gas and then was out on Sunday morning to help clean up Alondra Boulevard. He understands that some people may have got out of hand during the protest but believes that people who were outside the business park simply wanted answers. 'And we still don't know what's going to happen next,' he said. 'I'm pleased and shocked to see people here today,' he said about Sunday service. 'There's a real unknowing feeling. God is good. Paramount is good.'
