Tensions flare as national guard arrives in LA to quell immigration protests
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth has warned the Pentagon was prepared to mobilise active-duty troops 'if violence continues' in LA, saying marines at nearby Camp Pendleton were 'on high alert'.
'There is plenty of room for peaceful protest, but zero tolerance for attacking federal agents who are doing their job. The national guard, and marines if need be, stand with ICE,' Hegseth said in a social media post on Sunday.
Democratic Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, whose California district includes Paramount, on Sunday criticised the president's decision to deploy national guard troops, arguing that local law enforcement has adequate resources to respond.
'We don't need the help. This is him escalating it, causing tensions to rise. It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are angry over immigration enforcement,' Barragan told CNN's State of the Union .
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem told CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday the National Guard would provide safety around buildings to people engaged in peaceful protest and to law enforcement.
ICE operations in LA on Friday arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations.
Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day.
But the sweeping enforcement measures have also included people legally residing in the country, some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Sunday criticised the US government over the immigration raids and deployment of the national guard.
'We do not agree with this way of addressing the immigration issue,' Sheinbaum, who has sought to cultivate a positive relationship with Trump, said at a public event.
'The phenomenon will not be addressed with raids or violence. It will be by sitting down and working on comprehensive reform.'
Trump's justification for the national guard deployment cited a provision of the US Code on the Armed Forces. However, it also says the 'orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the states'.
It was not immediately clear if the president had the legal authority to deploy the national guard troops without Newsom's order.
The provision allows for national guard deployment by the federal government if there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the government of the US'. The troops are only allowed to engage in limited activities and cannot undertake ordinary law enforcement activities.
Trump's memo said the troops will 'temporarily protect ICE and other US government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property at locations where protests against the functions are occurring or are likely to occur'.
Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
The future world order must be based on tolerance and diversity
American academic Ali Mazrui said that the US, Secretary of State Marco Rubio in particular, should be saying 'what is good for the world is good for my country'. American political scientist Joseph S Nye Jr, who died last month, recently wrote in an The Future of World Order that we may not know until 2029 whether we are entering a totally new period of American decline or whether the second Trump administration's attacks on the American Century's institutions and alliances will prove to be another cyclical dip. One thing is certain. Nye will be proved correct, regardless of what happens. But we do not know what the post-American world order will look like, should we indeed be 'entering a totally new period'. Will it be a multipolar world order of the same Westphalian states with reformed global institutions or one of civilisations and cultures? Will democracies and non-democracies constitute each of the multiple poles or will it be one that is composed of poles formed around key states in each major world region? Will it be a Sino-centric, unipolar international system or more balanced? All we can say for now is that the future world order will be a product of the interplay between cultural processes and existing global structures. Beyond that, nothing is certain. A discourse on the future world order is, therefore, appropriate and timely. Ideally, the future world order will be based on at least two interrelated normative principles. The first principle is a steadfast commitment to respecting diversity, encompassing cultural, ethnic, racial, religious and ideological differences. We recognise that diversity is not a popular notion in some circles today. Indeed, globalisation has significantly contributed to greater global homogeneity, as lifestyles have become increasingly similar across vast distances. But let us not forget that the lifestyle that has become globalised is predominantly Western. At the same time, we also have a rich intermingling of racial, cultural, ethnic and linguistic groups at the local level. The primary drivers of this local heterogeneity have been the forces of migration and colonialism. In other words, the local landscape has evolved into a microcosm of the world. On the global level, the world has become an approximation of a village, without the empathy of the village. This creates a compelling paradox — as we experience local heterogenisation, we simultaneously witness a vibrant explosion of global homogenisation. The future world order must rise to the challenge of embracing both emerging trends as its normative foundation. We must embrace a creative synthesis incorporating the finest aspects of the world's major cultures and traditions. Consider, for instance, what is known as Africa's triple heritage: indigenous values, Islam and Western culture. An aspect of Africa's indigenous values is the remarkable ability of Africans to forgive. While Africans have endured more than their fair share of violence, they often embrace moments of reconciliation with an inspiring quickness. This short memory of hate can serve as a powerful antidote to endless division and hatred and it can also become the continent's contribution to a global ethic of tolerance. From the West, we can take the wealth of knowledge and innovative spirit that drives educational advancements and capitalistic growth — if they survive until 2029. Let us be inspired by Islam's profound emphasis on modesty and humility in character and appearance. By incorporating lessons from other civilisations and traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Sikhism etc) such an approach can provide a solid basis for a harmonious world order. It would be a great opportunity for a grand synthesis based on the word's rich diversity. The second principle is tolerance. If diversity can be measured through the objective lens of heterogeneity, true tolerance can be assessed by the degree of our willingness to accept and even embrace differences. This acceptance is not just a moral obligation. It is essential for a harmonious and sustainable world order. However, it is worth noting that being a victim of intolerance in the past does not always lead to an understanding of its importance. The very faith that endured persecution by Roman gladiators in the West eventually became the instrument of severe repression through the Inquisition. In Africa, as well, there has been, for example, a conflictual relationship between the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi of Rwanda. At times, the Hutu have perpetrated violence against the Tutsi and at other times, it was the Tutsi who were the culprits. The conflict culminated in genocide in 1994. It is essential to acknowledge that Islam too, has, at various times and to different degrees, exhibited characteristics of heightened political militancy and religious bigotry. It may be that Islam in the pre-Ottoman empire was more tolerant and ecumenical. Sustainable tolerance needs unwavering attention and effort. Tolerance is not a one-time achievement. It is a vital practice that must be actively nurtured and systematically reinforced through institutional measures. Diversity, tolerance and a creative synthesis of global pools of shared values and distinctive traditions should form the basis of the future world order. This may be the most promising pathway towards building a constructively pluralistic world order and resolving the tension between the increasingly diverse global actors and the originally Western international system. The alternative is divisive pluralism. In short, tolerance and accepting diversity is good for the world and, therefore, good for the future world order. Unfortunately, however, the logic of the current US administration appears different. In the In what can be regarded as a word-for-word 'response' to Rubio, a wise man once said: 'Today, in the United States, there are many Americans who believe that what is good for America is good for the world, that my country is the world. We need to change the logic of global expectations … Instead of arguing, like the Americans, my country is the world, we should move to the proposition that what is good for the world is good for my country.' That wise man is Joseph Nye's contemporary and a pan-African political scientist. His name is Ali Mazrui. Mazrui Dr Seifudein Adem is a research fellow at JICA Ogata Research Institute for Peace and Development in Tokyo, Japan.
The Herald
a day ago
- The Herald
Elon Musk says he regrets some posts about Donald Trump
Billionaire Elon Musk said on Wednesday he regrets some posts he made last week about US President Donald Trump as they went 'too far'. Trump and Musk began exchanging insults on social media last week, with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO describing the president's sweeping tax and spending bill as a 'disgusting abomination'. Trump said on Saturday their relationship was over but has since said he would not have a problem if Musk called and wished him well. 'I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,' Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X. He did not say which specific posts he was talking about. Tesla shares in Frankfurt were up 2.44% after Musk's post. Since the dispute began, Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one signalling support for impeaching the president. Sources close to Musk had said his anger has started to subside, and they believe he may want to repair his relationship with Trump. On Monday, Trump said he would not have a problem if Musk called and that he had no plans to discontinue the Starlink satellite internet provided to the White House by Musk's SpaceX but might move his Tesla off-site. 'We had a good relationship, and I wish him well,' Trump said. Musk responded with a heart emoji to a video on X showing Trump's remarks. Reuters
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- TimesLIVE
Trump tells soldiers Los Angeles protests are national security risk
In North Carolina, Trump and defence secretary Pete Hegseth took part in long-scheduled commemorations of the US army's 250th anniversary, watching soldiers demonstrate a special forces assault on a building and use a long-range missile launcher. It was the first in a series of celebrations of the army anniversary involving Trump ahead of a major parade in Washington on Saturday. Earlier on Tuesday in the Oval Office, Trump warned against demonstrations at the parade, telling reporters: "They're going to be met with very big force." The FBI and metropolitan police department have said there are no credible threats to the event. The week's army commemorations combine Trump's penchant for patriotic pomp and his political positioning as a law and order president. Saturday's celebrations in Washington include thousands of troops, dozens of military aircraft and coincide with Trump's 79th birthday. The army was established on June 14 1775, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence. Earlier this year, Trump restored the name Fort Bragg to the base, one of the largest in the world, despite a federal law that prohibits honouring generals who fought for the South during the Civil War. His administration said the name honours a different Bragg — private first class Roland Bragg, who served during World War 2. In 2023, the base had been renamed Fort Liberty, a change driven by racial justice protests. Trump has made the military a focus of his efforts, with his defence secretary working to purge transgender service members, top officials appointed under his Democratic predecessor and even books deemed out of step. The president's cost-cutting government reforms have largely spared the defence department's nearly $1-trillion (R17.7-trillion) annual budget. He has pledged to avoid international conflict while launching new weapons programmes and increasing the use of the military domestically, including in immigration enforcement. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the US-Mexico border, setting the immigration and customs enforcement border agency a daily goal of arresting at least 3,000 migrants. Demonstrators in LA have assembled, among other places, at a government facility where immigrants are detained.
