Remarkable Women Finalist: Melissa Sawyer
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Thousands of children know her, and thousands of children love her.
Her name is Melissa Sawyer. She is the co-founder and CEO of the Youth Empowerment Project, better known around town as YEP.
Beginning in 2004, Melissa and two other women believed there needed to be a program in New Orleans that really invested in the future of our youth. YEP's mission was to engage underserved young people through community-based programs.
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'It really came from addressing an unmet need in the community and wanting to help and to do good and support young people and families,' said Sawyer. 'It's funny, people ask me if this is what I had hoped for YEP. I was like, 'I had no idea!''
Since then, YEP has evolved to enrich the lives of anyone ages 7 and up. YEP serves almost 1,000 people per year.
One of the core services provided is education.
In one testimonial, a woman got her high school equivalency in 2014 thanks to YEP. She added that she is about to have two degrees, stating that once you have someone who is there for you, that will make you want to do it more.
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In another testimonial of a woman who got her high school equivalency from YEP, she told her daughter she wanted to get a class ring with 'YEP' on it.
There are also employment programs, including YEP Bike Works and Yep Thrift Works.
Melissa has been showered with awards for her work in the community, but her biggest reward is seeing how YEP makes a positive impact on the lives of its participants.
'For me, just knowing that YEP has played one small part in, at this point, thousands of people's lives in this community is more than I could ever ask for,' said Sawyer.Warm and sunny today and tomorrow
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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
It's ‘a small part of LA' is latest media refrain to minimize violent mobs
Get ready for the 2025 version of 'mostly peaceful protest.' It's 'a small part of the city.' Even liberal media knows it looks bad when Mexican flag-waving punks are wearing skull masks and setting fire to cars. It's hard to paint President Trump as a fascist when protesters from another country are inciting violence and looting. They're desperate to minimize what's going on, to suggest that it's Trump who is inflaming the situation and not the rioters themselves. Advertisement A burnt US flag is seen on the ground amid clashes with law enforcement. AFP via Getty Images When the George Floyd riots descended into mayhem, the constant refrain on CNN was 'a mostly peaceful protest.' A few bad apples burned that police station, yes, but that's not the full story. This time around, they're going geographic. 'Federal agents clashed with protesters in the Los Angeles area for a third day, and hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed,' The New York Times wrote. 'But much of the sprawling city operated as usual.' Advertisement The Times even wrote a story, 'Life goes on in the city,' remarking on all the parades and events happening in the 18 million person Los Angeles area at the same time as the clashes, as if that was even relevant. The framing is spreading, as these things usually do. Monday morning's Axios report said, 'The clashes between police and protesters were centered in several blocks of downtown — a small slice of the city.' Ah, a small slice. Guess shutting down the 101 Freeway and burning Waymo cars isn't that big a deal — everything's fine in Santa Monica! Advertisement Demonstrators wave flags from atop a wrecked car, standing beside burning Waymo vehicles, as protesters clash with law enforcement in the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Imagine if all news was treated this way. Murder in Queens, but in Brooklyn, life goes on. Hurricanes in Florida, but that's just a small slice of the United States. The motives are so transparent they are laughable. The media wants to diminish and distract, but for the rest of us, reality goes on.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Downtown LA declared 'unlawful assembly'; Newsom to sue over National Guard deployment
Editor's note: This page summarizes the Los Angeles protests over ICE raids for Sunday, June 8. For the latest updates on the LA protests, visit USA TODAY's coverage for Monday, June 9. LOS ANGELES — Tensions escalated in Los Angeles late Sunday between law enforcement and protesters as California National Guard troops arrived in Southern California to quell demonstrations against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, a move that the state's Democratic governor has called unlawful. Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 Guard members over the objections of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Trump wanted to create a "spectacle." U.S. Northern Command said about 300 soldiers were on the ground at three locations in the greater Los Angeles area to provide "safety and protection of federal property and personnel." Newsom said the Guard's deployment was "unlawful" and called on the Trump administration to rescind its order in a letter Sunday afternoon. The governor said the decision was a "serious breach of state sovereignty" and demanded that the president "return control" to California. Members of the Guard were stationed around federal government buildings as local police confronted thousands of protesters in separate demonstrations in the city. Authorities declared several demonstrations on Sunday unlawful assemblies and moved in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades, sending hundreds of people running, their eyes streaming with tears. Earlier, a large group of protesters blocked the 101 Freeway — a major thoroughfare in downtown Los Angeles. The freeway was later cleared as protesters converged on an overpass and threw objects down at police, video footage showed. As the crowds dispersed, they left behind masses of graffiti spray-painted on buildings, sidewalks, and signs, mostly criticizing federal authorities and pushing for immigrant rights. A handful of protesters who remained behind waved Mexican flags at state and local police officers controlling the intersections and of the events: LA protests went from small to substantial over three days. Here's what unfolded During a news conference Sunday night, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell underscored that protests across the city in recent days had been peaceful and thanked the community for "expressing their views and their frustration in a responsible manner." The police chief added that the department's goal is to maintain order without escalating conflict and protect public safety. "When peaceful demonstrations devolve into acts of vandalism or violence, especially violence directed at innocent people, law enforcement officers and others, we must respond firmly," McDonnell said. 'An act of violence, whether toward officers, demonstrators or the public, will be met with swift and lawful action." McDonnell noted that authorities recognize immigration enforcement operations can cause a 'deep fear and anxiety, particularly in immigrant communities.' He reiterated that LAPD is not involved in ICE operations and called the recent violence amid protests "disgusting." McDonnell added that the department had resources to handle the situation and would have gone through a "number of steps" before requesting the Guard. '(The deployment) was done from the top down, from the president directing,' McDonnell said. "They're working for the U.S. Army, not for the California State National Guard." Newsom announced Sunday on MSNBC that he plans to sue the Trump administration over the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles. The governor said he plans to file the lawsuit on Monday and has lawyers working on the brief, according to the news outlet. "He's putting fuel on this fire ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard in a legal act and a moral act, an unconstitutional act. And we're going to test that theory with a lawsuit tomorrow," Newsom told MSNBC. The governor added that he attempted to discuss the protests with Trump on late Friday, saying the president "never once brought up the National Guard." LAPD announced Sunday night that all of downtown Los Angeles had been "declared as an unlawful assembly." "You are to leave the Downtown Area immediately," police warned on a post on X. Shortly after the announcement, police said demonstrators had marched to the L.A. Live area, a live entertainment venue near Arena. Protesters were blocking all lanes of traffic on Figueroa and 11th streets, according to police. At about 8 p.m. local time, authorities declared an unlawful assembly for a demonstration near the 101 Freeway, moving in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades, sending hundreds of people running, their eyes streaming with tears. One man stopped to pour milk on his face to reduce the tears, and helicopters clattered overhead as protesters fled the area to honking car horns and periodic cheers. Videos shared on social media and footage from local television stations showed officers in riot gear, and the sound of flash-bangs could be heard in the background. The Los Angeles Times reported that officers could be seen pushing people with batons, and some protesters were observed climbing a fence to get away from the officers. Many protesters were waving Mexican flags or hybrid Mexican American flags as they chanted "F--- ICE, leave LA," according to the Times. Protestors were also seen throwing water bottles and other objects at officers and law enforcement vehicles. A massive crowd of protesters had moved onto the 101 Freeway and stopped traffic in both directions, KABC-TV and Spectrum News 1 reported. KABC-TV said protesters created a makeshift barrier on the southbound side of the freeway and were immediately confronted by officers in riot gear. LAPD announced on Sunday that two people riding motorcycles "attempted to breach a skirmish line at Alameda and Temple" streets, hitting and injuring two police officers. Authorities said the officers were being treated at the scene by medical personnel. Two people were detained after the incident, police said. According to preliminary information, police said at least 10 people have been arrested and three officers were injured during protests on Sunday. California Highway Patrol arrested 17 people on the 101 Freeway, police said. On Saturday, police arrested 29 people. Among those arrested on Sunday was a person who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer and another person who allegedly hit a line of officers with a motorcycle, injuring one, according to LAPD Capt. Raul Jovel. Why did Trump deploy the Guard? What to know about the situation in LA Newsom challenged Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, to arrest him for speaking out against federal immigration enforcement that sparked violent protests in Los Angeles. "Trump's border czar is threatening to arrest me for speaking out. Come and get me, tough guy," Gavin said on social media. "I don't give a damn. It won't stop me from standing up for California." In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, 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." When asked whether Newsom and Bass, who have criticized the deployment, 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." Trump, Homan, and other federal officials have said they would charge anyone who interfered with the immigration operation. Earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a fiery picture on social media with the caption "another 'mostly peaceful protest' brought to you by Gavin Newsom. DEPORT," Hegseth said. Newsom's press office replied by asking whether the Marines would respond the next time the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl, next to a fiery picture. In an emailed letter released on Sunday afternoon, Newsom formally asked Hegseth to rescind Trump's order to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles. "We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved," Newsom said in a social media post. "This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed." The letter stated that law enforcement resources in Los Angeles County were "sufficient to maintain order," adding that Guard members were deployed without appropriate training or orders, which "risks seriously escalating the situation." "In dynamic and fluid situations such as the one in Los Angeles, State and local authorities are the most appropriate ones to evaluate the need for resources to safeguard life and property," according to the letter. In response to Newsom's letter, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Reuters that Trump had "rightfully stepped in to restore law and order." "It's a bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved," Jackson said. "Everyone saw the chaos, violence, and lawlessness - unless of course, Gavin Newsom doesn't think any of that is a problem." On Sunday afternoon, LAPD said on X that it has placed officers across the city on a "tactical alert." The tactical alert means that all officers can now be redistributed between divisions and must remain on shift until they are relieved by their unit commanders. The police department later declared the protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles an "unlawful assembly," and authorized the 'use of less lethal munitions." The department also issued a dispersal order and said arrests were being made. According to the department, officers reported that people in the crowd were throwing concrete, bottles, and other objects. "The use of less lethal munitions has been authorized by the Incident Commander," the department said in a separate social media post. "Persons throwing items at officers will be detained and arrested." Anti-ICE protests in downtown LA: The history of National Guard deployments in Los Angeles: What to know Bass warned protesters on Sunday not to "play into the administration's hands" and said her office was working with other officials and organizing resources in response to the immigration raids and demonstrations. "What we're seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration,' the mayor said during an afternoon news conference on Sunday. "When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you cause fear and you cause panic." Bass called the deployment of federalized troops a "dangerous escalation" and said the Trump administration's decision was not about public safety. She added that she was joining Newsom in appealing to the administration to rescind the order to federalize the Guard and allow the Guard to come back under the control of the governor. "I want the people of Los Angeles to know that we stand with all Angelenos," Bass said. "No matter where you were born, the First Amendment right gives you the ability again to protest peacefully, but it does not give you the right to be violent, to create chaos or to vandalize property, and that will not be tolerated. So I call on all Angelenos to continue expressing your right, your anger, your outrage, but to do it peacefully.' State and local leaders encouraged peaceful demonstrations on Sunday night as protests continued in downtown Los Angeles over Trump's immigration enforcement. In a news release on Sunday, U.S. Northern Command said about 500 Marines at Twentynine Palms, about 143 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, were put on 'prepare to deploy' status. Newsom was in Los Angeles meeting with officials from the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The governor said local and state emergency officials were working to maintain public safety as they responded to protests that were "provoked by chaos from Washington." "We're here to keep the peace — not play into Trump's political games," Newsom said on X. "Don't take the bait. Never use violence or harm law enforcement." In a post on X, Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla criticized Trump and said the president was creating "nothing more than fear and chaos in our communities." "This is the first time since 1965 National Guard troops are federalized and deployed without the request and support of the Governor or local authorities," Padilla said on social media. "It's unnecessary, counterproductive, and a misuse of our National Guard." Protests erupted on Friday after ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrests of at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations, according to Reuters. One organized labor leader, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California (SEIU California), was injured and detained by ICE at one site, according to an SEIU statement. The union said Huerta was arrested "while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity." He was later released from the hospital after being treated for injuries he sustained during his arrest, but remains in custody, the union added. No details about the nature or severity of Huerta's injury were immediately available. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a post on X on Friday that Huerta "was arrested for interfering with federal officers and will face arraignment in federal court on Monday." The next day, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Huerta's immediate release and warned of a 'disturbing pattern of arresting and detaining American citizens for exercising their right to free speech.' Several protests were observed across Los Angeles County, with the largest in downtown Los Angeles. By 5 p.m. local time, law enforcement authorities cleared the 101 Freeway, and videos showed protestors moving onto an overpass as they chanted and waved Mexican flags. LAPD later declared an unlawful assembly in the Civic Center area and the historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. Police said demonstrators had halted and ignited several vehicles in the area. Footage from local television stations showed several driverless robotaxis from Waymo stopped on the road. At least two vehicles were set on fire as smoke was seen billowing into the sky. By around 6:15 p.m., LAPD said "multiple autonomous vehicles" were on fire in the area of Los Angeles Street, North of Arcadia and South of Alameda streets. Police warned people to avoid the area due to burning lithium-ion batteries releasing toxic gases, posing risks to responders and those nearby. Police said a 'number of people have been arrested' at the Civic Center area. At around 6:20 p.m., LAPD said "less lethal munitions" were authorized in the area of Temple and Main streets as videos showed multiple skirmish lines on roads near City Hall. Police said demonstrators were using chairs, garbage bins, and other items to block the street. The department urged protesters to leave the area. Trump's National Guard deployment of 2,000 troops in Los Angeles is expected to last 60 days, according to a directive from California's adjutant general. Trump's memo on June 7 invoked a section of federal code authorizing the president to call the guard into service to "repel an invasion of the United States by a foreign nation" or to "suppress a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States" or to "execute the laws of the United States when the President is unable to do so with regular forces." David Sapp, Newsom's legal affairs secretary, said the Guard's directive was inconsistent with Trump's memo, which anticipated "coordinat(ion) with the Governors of the States." "There is currently no need for the National Guard to be deployed in Los Angeles, and to do so in this unlawful manner and for such a lengthy period is a serious breach of state sovereignty," Sapp wrote to Hegseth. Protests in downtown Los Angeles: California Gov. Newsom describes Trump's deployment of National Guard as 'the acts of a dictator' A Waymo spokesperson told NBC News that the company was suspending its service in downtown Los Angeles after multiple self-driving vehicles were reportedly set on fire during protests. "We will not be serving any rides in the protest area until it is deemed safe," the spokesperson said, according to NBC News. LAPD said earlier Sunday that "multiple autonomous vehicles" were on fire in the area of Los Angeles Street, North of Arcadia and South of Alameda streets. Authorities warned people to avoid the area due to burning lithium-ion batteries releasing toxic gases nearby. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who lives in Los Angeles, called the deployment of the National Guard 'a dangerous explanation meant to provoke chaos.' Harris, the Democratic nominee who lost to Trump in 2024, said in a social media post that Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Southern California and across the country are part of a "cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division." "This Administration's actions are not about public safety – they're about stoking fear," Harris added. Newsom on Sunday accused Trump's order as "the acts of a dictator" for deploying National Guard troops to quell violent protests in Los Angeles. Newsom posted a video of Trump saying he would charge state and local officials federally if they interfere with immigration enforcement, which sparked the protests in Los Angeles. Newsom accused Trump of "inciting and provoking violence" as well as "creating mass chaos" and "militarizing cities." "These are the acts of a dictator, not a President," Newsom added. Trump told reporters Sunday on his way to Camp David for a meeting with military leaders that he doesn't think the protests in Los Angeles qualify as an insurrection yet, but that he would be keeping a close eye on the situation. 'No,' he said when asked if an insurrection was happening. 'But you've got violent people, and we're not going to let them get away with it.' Trump said he was sending the National Guard to restore order. 'We're going to have troops everywhere,' Trump said. 'We're not going to let this happen to our country.' He said the bar for sending in Marines would be 'what I think it is.' 'If we see danger to our country and to our citizens, we will be very, very strong in terms of law and order. It's about law and order,' Trump said. He said he would be 'watching it very closely' to see whether protests are spreading and if a larger federal response is needed. 'We're going to be watching it very closely,' Trump said. 'You know they spit, that's their new thing. They spit, and worse, you know what they throw at them, right? And when that happens, I have a little statement – they spit, we hit. And I told them, nobody's going to spit on our police officers. No body's going to spit on our military.' Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told USA TODAY on Sunday that his department will be "well prepared" should any civil unrest occur during the third day of protests across the city. "We certainly have a heavier deployment than usual," said McDonnell, declining to give a specific number. The chief said officers will be deployed outside a federal court building, the Metropolitan Detention Center, City Hall, and some parks where protests and demonstrations against the deportation raids are scheduled to take place. McDonnell said the LAPD is still figuring out what role the National Guard will play during any protests as well. "It's still to be determined," McDonnell said. "Some of them just got on the ground, and we're trying to figure out how we can make this all work for everybody. For the city, the county. and beyond. Our whole focus is on public safety." — Terry Collins Los Angeles police chief: 'Ready to meet whatever challenges we may face' Trump said on social media that Los Angeles "has been invaded and occupied" by undocumented immigrants and he directed the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Justice to take action to liberate the city. The language of his post echoes his executive order invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport immigrants accused of being members of criminal gangs he declared terrorist organizations, such as Venezuela's Tren de Aragua. "A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals," Trump said. "Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations.' Trump directed Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Attorney General Pam Bondi 'to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots.' 'Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free,' Trump said. A group of 22 Democratic governors called Trump's deployment of the National Guard 'an alarming abuse of power' and said doing so without working with Newsom was 'dangerous.' 'President Trump's move to deploy California's National Guard is an alarming abuse of power,' the governors said in a joint statement. 'Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state's governor is ineffective and dangerous.' The governors also criticized the threat to send in Marines. 'Further, threatening to send the U.S. Marines into American neighborhoods undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement,' the governors said. Democratic Govs. Laura Kelly of Kansas, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Bob Ferguson of Washington, Josh Green of Hawaii, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Kathy Hochul of New York, Tina Kotek of Oregon, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Dan McKee of Rhode Island, Matt Meyer of Delaware, Janet Mills of Maine, Wes Moore of Maryland, Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Jared Polis of Colorado, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Josh Stein of North Carolina, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on social media that if protesters choose violence, they will be investigated and arrested. "We will be investigating and pursuing all available leads for assault on a federal officer, in addition to the many arrests already made," Bongino said June 8. "And, although we'll pursue every case, we don't need to catch every single perp, we just need to catch you." Investigations will continue even after calm is restored, he warned. "We will not forget," Bongino said. "Even after you try to." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been a staunch supporter of Trump's border policies, including his decision to deploy the National Guard to quell disturbances in California. But as governor of South Dakota in February 2024, Noem sharply criticized then-President Joe Biden for considering federalizing the National Guard over Texas' contentious razor‑wire border operations. The Biden White House was reportedly considering the move after the Supreme Court ruled the federal government could cut through razor wire that Texas had placed along the U.S.-Mexico border − wire that similarly obstructs CBP agents' ability to access the border and carry out their duties. That prompted Democrats and others to call on Biden to federalize the Texas National Guard and order it to stand down. In a post on X, Noem said such a move would be a 'direct attack on states' rights." Ultimately, Biden never activated the Guard. Amnesty International Executive Director Paul O'Brien called the Guard deployment "deeply alarming." He accused Trump of using military force to punish those who speak out for human rights and said the deployment will exacerbate the situation rather than remedy it. 'This is not about protecting communities, this is about crushing dissent and instilling fear," O'Brien said in a statement. "Armed troops do not belong in our neighborhoods. This militarization of immigration enforcement and in response to people exercising their right to freedom of expression must have no place in a country that claims to value justice and human rights." Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the conservative chairperson of the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, called for calm but voiced her support for the right of protesters to express themselves. 'I want to remind @CountyofLA residents that the right to protest is a fundamental constitutional freedom and I strongly support the right of individuals to express themselves peacefully,' Barger, who represents the county's northern swaths, said in a posting on X late Saturday night. 'However, I urge all those who choose to protest to do so without resorting to violence or unlawful behavior.' Barger said that as chair of the political body overseeing all of Los Angeles County, including the parts where the National Guard is being deployed, she would closely monitor any developments of civil unrest. That would include 'attacks against local, state, or federal law enforcement officers or any attempt to cause them harm," she wrote. Sen. Bernie Sanders said he believes President Donald Trump is 'moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism" after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to help quell immigration protests in Los Angeles. 'This guy wants all of the power. He does not believe in the Constitution. He does not believe in the rule of law,' Sanders, a Vermont independent, told CNN's Dana Bash on 'State of the Union.' "My understanding is that the governor of California, the mayor of the city of Los Angeles did not request the National Guard, but he (Trump) thinks he has a right to do anything he wants." The protests were prompted by the Trump administration's push to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants. Demonstrators allege the administration's immigration enforcement violates civil and human rights. The Department of Homeland Security announced that the immigrants without legal authorization to be in the country include murders and rapists. Those arrested during the Los Angeles operation that sparked violent protests include a Vietnamese man convicted of second-degree murder, an Ecuadoran man convicted of possession of five kilograms of cocaine, and a Filipino man convicted of sexual offenses. "These rioters in Los Angeles are fighting to keep rapists, murderers and other violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets," Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary of the department, said in a statement. "Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer." The National Guard has been deployed to Los Angeles multiple times in response to civil disorder and natural disasters. In previous years, the National Guard was sent at the request of state and local officials. In June 2020, USA TODAY reported that Trump had considered invoking the Insurrection Act over protests in response to the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a former Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck on a street corner in May 2020. Protesters clashed with police across the country, including in Los Angeles, which prompted then-Mayor Eric Garcetti to ask Newsom for members of the Guard to be sent to the city. The last time the Insurrection Act was invoked was in 1992 by former President George H.W. Bush, when the acquittal of the Los Angeles Police Department officers who beat Rodney King sparked the Los Angeles riots. Thousands of members of the Guard, the U.S. Army, and the Marine Corps were sent in response to the riots, which left more than 60 people dead and 2,300 injured, according to the Bill of Rights Institute. Read more here. Sen. Chris Murphy accused Trump on Sunday of unnecessarily deploying the National Guard in California to escalate the conflict between protesters and ICE agents so he can eventually invoke the Insurrection Act and impose martial law in the United States. Murphy, a frequent and outspoken critic of Trump, said in a video posted on X that the crisis in California 'is of Donald Trump's making.' 'Any time a protest turns violent, that's unacceptable,' said Murphy, D-Conn. 'But California has made it clear that between local and state authorities, they have the means to be able to keep the peace. They don't need Donald Trump. They don't need the National Guard.' Murphy said Trump decided to send in the Guard over the objections of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 'not to solve a problem, but to create a problem, because Donald Trump has always wanted to create an excuse to impose martial law, to invoke the Insurrection Act.' Murphy accused Trump of undergoing a comprehensive campaign since he was sworn in to try to undermine the rule of law in the United States to consolidate his own power and authority. Originally enacted in 1792, the Insurrection Act grants the president the authority to deploy the U.S. military domestically and use it against Americans under certain conditions, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law. Trump called Newsom 'incompetent,' based on cost overruns for a high-speed rail program, and said either state and local authorities would quell the violence or he would. "You have an incompetent governor," Trump said. 'I did call him the other night, I said, 'Look take care of this, otherwise I'm sending in the troops.'" Trump also said state and local officials could face federal charges if they stand in the way of deportations. 'If officials stand in the way of law and order, yeah, they will face federal charges,' Trump said. "These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED," Trump said in a social media post Sunday. Trump and administration officials have attacked Newsom, Bass and other Democrats for failing to quell the disturbances. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump signed a memo a day earlier deploying the Guardsmen 'to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.' 'The Trump administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs,' she said in a statement. Hegseth said the Pentagon was prepared to mobilize active-duty troops "if violence continues" and that Marines at nearby Camp Pendleton were "on high alert." Free speech or not? Trump says he wants to protect free speech. Advocates say he's undermining it. On Saturday, a large protest erupted in the city of Paramount in Los Angeles County, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. It came as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the area. More demonstrations followed, and some protesters assaulted ICE officers, slashed tires, and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which claimed it took LAPD officers two hours to respond. Police sometimes countered the unrest by firing tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang concussion rounds toward gathering crowds. "The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens." Contributing: Reuters (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA protests: Downtown Los Angeles declared an unlawful assembly area
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump's immigration hammer bonks L.A. When will it smash down?
For months, Donald Trump and his deportation dream team — border czar Tom Homan, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security head Kristi Noem — have warned any city, state or county that seems even somewhat sympathetic to illegal immigrants that their day of reckoning will come. For Los Angeles, it's now. Since Friday, the city and its suburbs have seen federal officers from various agencies face off against protesters who have unsuccessfully tried to stop them from conducting workplace raids or transport people suspected of being in this country illegally to detention facilities. The scenes haven't been pretty. Federal agents have used flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds from Paramount to downtown to the Garment District. They even arrested SEIU California President David Huerta for allegedly blocking a federal vehicle. Protesters, meanwhile, have fought back with rocks, bottles and fireworks. A row of Waymos was set on fire near Olvera Street on Sunday afternoon, emitting an eerie swan song of honks. A fleet of Highway Patrol vehicles parked near a 101 freeway underpass was pelted by protesters from above with cement shards, e-scooters and even paper set on fire. In the proverbial thick of it are the Los Angeles police and L.A. County Sheriff's departments, whose leaders have continuously stressed that their agencies aren't involved in any immigration actions even as they have assisted la migra by keeping crowds away with batons and less-than-lethal rounds. Some of the 2,000 National Guard troops Trump called up over the strenuous objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass are now in Southern California. This is the first time something like this has happened since Lyndon B. Johnson sent the Guard to Alabama in 1965 to protect civil rights activists from white citizens and corrupt law enforcement. Trump's incendiary move has set a city whose nerves have been frayed all year further on edge, fearing there's worse to come from him. And worse things are coming, Angelenos, though not from activists and professional rioters: What we saw this weekend is Trump bonking L.A. with a toy mallet while itching to swing his federal sledgehammer. One of the many news conferences held over the past three days by outraged community leaders happened Sunday at La Placita Olvera. We best remember it as the birthplace of Los Angeles, but this serene spot also offers a lesson from the past for what's happening today — and will probably happen soon. On Feb. 26, 1931, about 400 people were hanging out at La Placita at 3 p.m. when dozens of federal agents from as far away as San Francisco and Arizona suddenly surrounded the plaza. A 2001 Times story noted that immigration authorities 'had for days been posting newspaper ads warning of an impending raid against 'Mexican aliens.'' LAPD officers stood at each exit to make sure no one could escape. For the next two hours, immigration agents demanded everyone detained show proof that they were in the country legally. La Opinión reported the following day that la migra explained to angry onlookers 'with smiles that they were following orders from superiors and that the [roundup] was completely in accord with the laws of the land.' Sixteen immigrants ended up being detained, all men: 11 were Mexican, five Chinese and one Japanese. La Placita was specifically chosen by the feds for such a huge raid 'for its maximum psychological impact' against Latinos in Los Angeles and beyond, according to 'Decade of Betrayal: Mexican Repatriation in the 1930s.' It was the federal government's kickoff to years of repatriation efforts against people of Mexican descent — more than a few American citizens — pushed by the Hoover and FDR administrations, leading to hundreds of thousands of them leaving the United States, some never to return. Given Trump's love of spectacle, what his agencies have unleashed on L.A. over the weekend seems like the opening notes for something even bigger. Expect resistance from residents even stronger that what we've seen so far. Trucha, Los Angeles — be vigilant, and be careful out there. Steve writes, 'I was raised by my stepfather, a 2nd generation Armenian farmer. He didn't offer much advice verbally, but he left the house each day at 5:30am, worked hard in the Coachella Valley heat, was home for family dinner at 6 and was asleep by 8. His strong work ethic spoke volumes and had a huge effect on the man I chose to become.' Michele writes, 'While still in undergraduate, I was debating whether or not I should go to law school. I was most concerned about adding another three years to my education, and the length of time it would take. My father said, 'I have one question for you. Three years are likely going to pass in your life one way or another. What do you want to be doing at the end of it?' Throughout law school, every time I would feel overwhelmed and wanted to quit, I would remind myself that the time was going to pass anyway, and it kept me going towards the end goal.' Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's great photo is from Times photographer Gina Ferazzi in Compton, where Los Angeles residents pushed back against Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps. Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? 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