
Los Angeles police order US immigration protesters to go home as entire downtown area locked down
Police have declared all of downtown Los Angeles to be an unlawful assembly area, ordering protesters to go home after a third day of violence hit demonstrations against President Donald Trump's immigration policy.
National Guard troops — deployed by Trump at the weekend to help quell the protests in a move that California Governor Gavin Newsom called unlawful — guarded federal government buildings on Sunday.
The unrest in Los Angeles has become a major flashpoint in Trump's signature effort to clamp down on illegal immigration.
The Republican president has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the US-Mexico border, setting the border enforcement agency ICE a daily goal of arresting at least 3000 migrants.
California state and local officials, mainly Democrats, accuse Trump of inflaming initially small-scale protests by mounting a federal response.
He calls the protesters insurrectionists.
Several self-driving cars from Alphabet's Waymo were set ablaze on a downtown street on Sunday evening.
Los Angeles police said some protesters had thrown concrete projectiles, bottles and other items at police.
Police declared several rallies to be unlawful assemblies and later extended that to include the whole downtown area.
Demonstrators shouted 'Shame on you!' at police and some appeared to throw objects, video images showed.
City Police Chief Jim McDonnell told a media briefing on Sunday evening that people had a right to protest peacefully but the violence he had seen by some was 'disgusting' and the protests were getting out of control.
Police said they had arrested 10 people on Sunday and 29 the previous night, adding that arrests were continuing.
California Governor Newsom, a Democrat, said he requested the Trump administration to withdraw its order to deploy 2000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles County, calling it unlawful.
Newsom said in an interview with MSNBC he planned to sue the administration over the deployment, adding that Trump 'has created the conditions' around the protests.
He accused the president of trying to manufacture a crisis and of violating California's state sovereignty.
Asked if the National Guard was needed, the police chief, McDonnell, said police would not 'go to that right away' but added: 'Looking at the violence tonight, I think we've got to make a reassessment.'
In a social media post, Trump called on McDonnell to do so.
'He should, right now!!!' Trump added. 'Don't let these thugs get away with this. Make America great again!!!'
The White House disputed Newsom's characterisation, saying in a statement, 'everyone saw the chaos, violence and lawlessness'.
Earlier on Sunday, about a dozen National Guard members, along with Department of Homeland Security personnel, pushed back a group of demonstrators outside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, video showed.
The US Northern Command said 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed to three sites in Los Angeles.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CBS the National Guard would provide safety around buildings to people engaged in peaceful protest and to law enforcement.
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump called the demonstrators 'violent, insurrectionist mobs' and said he was directing his cabinet officers 'to take all such action necessary' to stop what he called riots.
Despite Trump's language, he has not invoked the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events such as civil disorder.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday the Pentagon was prepared to mobilise active-duty troops 'if violence continues' in Los Angeles, saying Marines at nearby Camp Pendleton were on high alert.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blamed the Trump administration for inciting tension by sending in the National Guard and condemned protesters who became violent.

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Homeland Security releases details of arrested illegal immigrants and what they're convicted of amid US-wide protests
An illegal immigrant convicted of lewd acts with a child has been revealed as one of the dozens of people customs agents arrested during immigration raids this week. The Department of Homeland Security released the details of what it described as "violent criminal illegal aliens" who were detained during an operation by officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency on Monday and Tuesday. One of the illegal immigrants arrested was named as Sang Louangprasert, 66, whose criminal history includes "lewd or lascivious acts" with a child under 14 in the Californian city of Fresno and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant in Santa Barbara. While Mab Khleb, 53, from Cambodia was also convicted of a lewd act with a child, transport and possession of a controlled substance and battery. The DHS also named Alberto Morales-Mejia, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, who has been convicted of manufacturing amphetamine. He has also been previously arrested for document fraud and possession of a weapon. Gerard Antonion-Palacios, who had once been deported to Mexico prior to his arrest by agents, was detained this week for previous convictions of homicide and burglary. The department also shared a photo of Jesus Romero-Retana, 52, from Mexico, whose prior convictions include threatening crime with intent to terrorise and battery. The DHS vowed to continue its operation amid widespread anti-deportation protests that has spread to New York, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, Boston and Washington. "To the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens," a Homeland Security post on X read. But its operations have been criticised, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass demanding an end to the raids which has led to violent riots in the city's downtown area. Joined by 30 mayors of surrounding cities, Mayor Bass said immigrants are part of the community, and in some cases, are the "majority" of the population. "The individuals that are here with me today are all leaders in their area and we all stand in support and solidarity and call for the raids to end," she said on Wednesday. Earlier, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an illegal immigrant from Mexico had been arrested and charged with attempted murder. It is alleged Emiliano Garduno-Galvez threw a Molotov cocktail during an LA riot, "threatening the lives of federal law enforcement officers", the DHS said. Protests during the day have largely been peaceful, as hundreds of National Guards deployed by US President Donald Trump protect federal buildings and activities. But as the day draws on and nighttime arrives, tensions boil over. Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the violent nature of the riots and blamed disruptive teenagers as the reason behind the chaos. "It is 100 per cent carrying water for the opposition to participate in this collective delusion that Dems for some reason need to answer for every teen who throws a rock rather than hold the Trump admin accountable for intentionally creating chaos and breaking the law to stoke violence. They are in charge," she wrote on social media. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday (local time), Mayor Bass dismissed suggestion of media reports that the riots were widespread. "The portrayal is that all of our cities are in chaos. Rioting is happening everywhere, and it is a lie. The curfew we put in place yesterday is about six square miles of a city that is 500 square miles," she said, adding "minor" arrests were made night one of curfew. The curfew will continue on Wednesday, LAPD confirmed. Mayor Bass is hoping to speak to President Trump as soon as possible to help him "understand the significance of what is happening here" but is yet to make contact. Meanwhile, 700 US Marines deployed to assist the 4,000 National Guards sent to Los Angeles are on standby on the outskirts of Los Angeles awaiting orders. Marines have been training on how to assist the National Guard to detain violent rioters before they hand them onto police officers, ahead of a sixth day of protests. US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who is commanding the troops, said they do not have authority to arrest people but had the power to temporarily detain individuals. The Marines will move to the city "soon," but not on Wednesday, Mayor General Sherman said. They will not carry live ammunition in their rifles, he added.

Sky News AU
an hour ago
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‘Police were asking us to come in': Trump defends sending in the National Guard to LA
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have arrived at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for the opening of the hit musical 'Les Miserables'. This comes as anti-ICE protests have spread from Los Angeles to other states across the country. President Trump spoke to reporters on Wednesday, local time, after being questioned about the protests upon arrival at the Kennedy Center. 'I can tell you that what we have is a situation in Los Angeles that was caused by gross incompetence,' President Trump said. 'The police were asking us to come in ... we had to go in to save a lot of ICE officers, as you know, who were held up, they were held up in a building, and they were being attacked. 'We stopped tremendous destruction and death.'


The Advertiser
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Australia plays down US review of AUKUS submarine deal
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"To walk away from all the sunk costs invested by our two closest allies - Australia and the United Kingdom - will have far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage," he said. "(It) is a direct contradiction to the administration's 'America First, but not alone' goal of countering aggression from China, Russia, and other adversaries." Opposition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie said the US review was a "deeply concerning development" ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's departure for the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. Mr Albanese hopes to have a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the gathering in Alberta. "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us," Senator McKenzie told Nine's Today show. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time the government held its own inquiry into the "dud deal". 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"We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review," he said in a statement on Thursday. "It is natural that the administration would want to examine this major undertaking, including progress and delivery." Mr Marles pointed to the UK's recently completed AUKUS review, which reaffirmed its support. "We look forward to continuing our close co-operation with the Trump administration on this historic project," he said. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US, and warn that the deal might jeopardise the American navy's capabilities or undermine Australia's defence sovereignty. Australia paid the US almost $800 million in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its US submarine industrial base. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Mr Marles during a meeting in Singapore this month that Australia should lift its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product, or output. Australia's defence spending is on track to hit around 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033/34. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, on Thursday warned against dumping the AUKUS deal. "To walk away from all the sunk costs invested by our two closest allies - Australia and the United Kingdom - will have far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage," he said. "(It) is a direct contradiction to the administration's 'America First, but not alone' goal of countering aggression from China, Russia, and other adversaries." Opposition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie said the US review was a "deeply concerning development" ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's departure for the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. Mr Albanese hopes to have a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the gathering in Alberta. "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us," Senator McKenzie told Nine's Today show. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time the government held its own inquiry into the "dud deal". "We need an independent defence and foreign policy, that does not require us to bend our will and shovel wealth to an increasingly erratic and reckless Trump USA," he said. Australia has played down a US Pentagon review of the AUKUS security pact, despite concerns about the future of the nuclear submarine component of the deal. Under the $368 billion agreement, Australia will acquire three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s. The three-nation partnership is between the US, Australia, and the UK, and was signed in 2021 under former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison and the US Biden administration. The Pentagon will consider whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy. Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the US had advised Australia and the UK of the review. "We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review," he said in a statement on Thursday. "It is natural that the administration would want to examine this major undertaking, including progress and delivery." Mr Marles pointed to the UK's recently completed AUKUS review, which reaffirmed its support. "We look forward to continuing our close co-operation with the Trump administration on this historic project," he said. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US, and warn that the deal might jeopardise the American navy's capabilities or undermine Australia's defence sovereignty. Australia paid the US almost $800 million in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its US submarine industrial base. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Mr Marles during a meeting in Singapore this month that Australia should lift its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product, or output. Australia's defence spending is on track to hit around 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033/34. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, on Thursday warned against dumping the AUKUS deal. "To walk away from all the sunk costs invested by our two closest allies - Australia and the United Kingdom - will have far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage," he said. "(It) is a direct contradiction to the administration's 'America First, but not alone' goal of countering aggression from China, Russia, and other adversaries." Opposition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie said the US review was a "deeply concerning development" ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's departure for the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. Mr Albanese hopes to have a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the gathering in Alberta. "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us," Senator McKenzie told Nine's Today show. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time the government held its own inquiry into the "dud deal". "We need an independent defence and foreign policy, that does not require us to bend our will and shovel wealth to an increasingly erratic and reckless Trump USA," he said. Australia has played down a US Pentagon review of the AUKUS security pact, despite concerns about the future of the nuclear submarine component of the deal. Under the $368 billion agreement, Australia will acquire three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s before a new fleet of boats is built for delivery from the 2040s. The three-nation partnership is between the US, Australia, and the UK, and was signed in 2021 under former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison and the US Biden administration. The Pentagon will consider whether the pact is in line with US President Donald Trump's "America First" policy. Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the US had advised Australia and the UK of the review. "We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review," he said in a statement on Thursday. "It is natural that the administration would want to examine this major undertaking, including progress and delivery." Mr Marles pointed to the UK's recently completed AUKUS review, which reaffirmed its support. "We look forward to continuing our close co-operation with the Trump administration on this historic project," he said. Critics of AUKUS point to the lagging production of boats in the US, and warn that the deal might jeopardise the American navy's capabilities or undermine Australia's defence sovereignty. Australia paid the US almost $800 million in February - the first of a number of payments - to help boost its US submarine industrial base. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Mr Marles during a meeting in Singapore this month that Australia should lift its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product, or output. Australia's defence spending is on track to hit around 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033/34. Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, US Congressman Joe Courtney, on Thursday warned against dumping the AUKUS deal. "To walk away from all the sunk costs invested by our two closest allies - Australia and the United Kingdom - will have far-reaching ramifications on our trustworthiness on the global stage," he said. "(It) is a direct contradiction to the administration's 'America First, but not alone' goal of countering aggression from China, Russia, and other adversaries." Opposition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie said the US review was a "deeply concerning development" ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's departure for the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. Mr Albanese hopes to have a meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the gathering in Alberta. "Any undermining of this serious and substantial alliance between our two countries should be of grave concern to all of us," Senator McKenzie told Nine's Today show. Greens defence spokesman David Shoebridge said it was time the government held its own inquiry into the "dud deal". "We need an independent defence and foreign policy, that does not require us to bend our will and shovel wealth to an increasingly erratic and reckless Trump USA," he said.