Bay Area leaders slam Trump's deployment of National Guard to LA
The Brief
In a Palo Alto news conference, Bay Area leaders spoke out against the deployment of the National Guard in response to ICE riots in Southern California.
Guardsmen arrived in LA Sunday morning, after Pres. Trump sent 2,000 troops there.
Local immigrant groups are concerned the Guard could eventually be deployed to the Bay Area.
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Bay Area leaders are slamming President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard to quell protests against ICE raids in the Los Angeles area.
What they're saying
"The president is seeking to create a reality television theater, risking human lives, risking violence," said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller at a news conference in Palo Alto Sunday.
"It is clear that this move to federalize the National Guard troops is designed to inflame and divide. That is the goal, to create chaos and inflame, and trigger a reaction," said U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin of San Mateo, a Democrat.
"We're here to urge that all protests remain peaceful," said Democratic U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo, who represents the Peninsula and South Bay.
The backstory
The National Guard arrived in LA Sunday morning after Trump sent 2,000 guardsmen there. President Trump added on Truth Social later in the day that more reinforcements could be on the way.
"We'll send whatever we need to make sure there's law and order," said Trump.
In a post on X Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom accused Trump of "manufacturing a crisis," adding, "He's hoping for chaos to justify more crackdowns."
The other side
But many Republicans are voicing support for the move.
"I think the president did exactly what he needed to do. These are federal laws. We have to maintain the rule of law, and that is not what is happening," said House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Big picture view
This is the first time in 60 years that a president has activated a state's National Guard force without a request from the governor.
"I think the Trump administration's view is more response is better than less response, right or wrong," said KTVU political analyst Brian Sobel.
"He's trying to keep making an example of California. "We're going to see activists, whether in Oakland or Berkeley or San Francisco or throughout the Bay Area, be involved in pushing back, and that's going to raise the stakes."
Local perspective
"If this is happening in LA, this can happen here," said Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder and executive director of ALAS.
Bay Area immigrant groups are worried about the impact of all this--especially if the National Guard is deployed here.
"It's paralyzing the immigrant community with fear," said Hernandez-Arriaga. "We're seeing people afraid to go out, afraid to do their daily duties, events, being in the community. Children are scared."
What we don't know
There's been no indication at this point from the Trump Administration that the National Guard will or might be deployed in the Bay Area.
The Source
Interviews conducted by KTVU reporter John Krinjak, a news conference in Palo Alto, social media posts from Trump and Newsom, and previous reporting
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