‘Serious breach of state sovereignty': California governor slams Trump's National Guard deployment in LA as unlawful
LOS ANGELES, June 9 — California National Guard troops were deployed to the streets of Los Angeles yesterday to help quell a third day of protests over President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement, a step the state's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, called unlawful.
Police were making more arrests after at least 10 yesterday and 29 the previous night, Los Angeles police officers told a news briefing.
National Guard troops guarded federal government buildings, as police and protesters clashed in separate demonstrations over federal immigration raids in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police declared several rallies to be 'unlawful assemblies', accusing some protesters of throwing concrete projectiles, bottles and other items at police.
Video images showed several self-driving cars from Alphabet's Waymo were set ablaze on a downtown street yesterday evening.
Los Angeles police officers on horseback attempted to control the crowds.
Demonstrators shouted 'Shame on you!' at police and some appeared to throw objects, video images showed. One group blocked the 101 Freeway, a major downtown thoroughfare.
Groups of protesters, many carrying Mexican flags and signs denouncing US immigration authorities, gathered in spots around the city.
The Los Angeles branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organised speakers outside City Hall for an afternoon rally.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he requested the Trump administration to withdraw its order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles county, calling it unlawful.
In an interview with MSNBC, Newsom said he planned to sue the administration over the deployment, adding that Trump 'has created the conditions' around the protests.
Newsom accused Trump of trying to manufacture a crisis and violating California's state sovereignty. 'These are the acts of a dictator, not a president,' he wrote in a post on X.
However, Police Chief Jim McDonnell told a media briefing last night that the protests were getting out of control.
Asked if the National Guard was needed, 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, about a dozen National Guard, along with Department of Homeland Security personnel, pushed back a group of demonstrators outside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, video showed.
US Northern Command said 300 members of the California National Guard had been deployed to three spots in the Los Angeles area. Their mission was limited to protecting federal personnel and property.
In a social media post yesterday, 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.'
Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, he threatened violence against demonstrators who spit on police or National Guard troops, saying, 'They spit, we hit.'
He did not cite any specific incidents.
'If we see danger to our country and to our citizens, it will be very, very strong in terms of law and order,' Trump said.
The FBI offered a US$50,000-reward for information on a suspect accused of throwing rocks at police vehicles in Paramount, injuring a federal officer.
Despite Trump's rhetoric about the demonstrations, he has not invoked the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events like civil disorder.
Asked yesterday whether he was considering doing so, he said, 'It depends on whether or not there's an insurrection.'
'High alert'
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that the Pentagon was prepared to mobilise active-duty troops 'if violence continues' in Los Angeles, saying the Marines at nearby Camp Pendleton were on 'high alert.'
US Northern Command said about 500 Marines were prepared to deploy if ordered.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blamed the Trump administration for inciting tension by sending in the National Guard, but also condemned protesters who became violent.
'I don't want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the administration completely unnecessarily,' Bass told a press conference.
Vanessa Cárdenas, the head of the immigration advocacy group America's Voice, accused the Trump administration of 'trumping up an excuse to abuse power, and deliberately stoke and force confrontations around immigration.'
Yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told CBS' 'Face the Nation' that the National Guard would provide safety around buildings to people engaged in peaceful protest and to law enforcement.
Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, setting ICE a goal of arresting at least 3,000 migrants a day.
Census data suggests a significant part of the population in Democratic-run Los Angeles is Hispanic and foreign-born.
But the sweeping enforcement measures have also included legal residents, some with permanent residence, spurring legal challenges.
Yesterday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum criticised the US government over the immigration raids and National Guard deployment.
'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
Trump's justification for the National Guard deployment cited a provision of Title 10 of the US Code on the Armed Forces. However, Title 10 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 without Newsom's order.
Title 10 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 United States.'
Those troops are only allowed to engage in limited activities and cannot undertake ordinary law enforcement activities.
Trump's memo says the troops will 'temporarily protect ICE and other United States government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property, at locations where protests against these 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
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
US aviation industry warns tariffs on aircraft parts risk harming key supply chains
NEW YORK, June 9 — US airlines and aerospace manufacturers insist they have no use for tariff protections, warning that the proposed Trump administration levies could eat into the healthy trade surplus the sector has enjoyed for more than 70 years. At the request of President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's department launched an investigation on May 1 to determine whether to impose tariffs of between 10 and 20 percent on civil aircraft and parts, including engines. The US industry those tariffs were crafted to protect, swiftly let the administration know it was not interested. 'Imposing broad tariff or non-tariff trade barriers on the imports of civil aviation technology would risk reversing decades of industrial progress and harm the domestic supply chain,' the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) said in a letter addressed to Lutnick and obtained by AFP. The interested parties were given until June 3 to communicate their positions. The very next day, Lutnick announced that Washington aimed to 'set the standard for aircraft part tariffs' by the end of this month. 'The key is to protect that industry,' he said, adding: 'We will use these tariffs for the betterment of American industry.' But AIA and the Airlines for America (A4A) trade association voiced fear that far from helping, the tariffs would end up harming US manufacturers. No fix needed 'Unlike other industries, the civil aviation manufacturing industry prioritizes domestic production of high-value components and final assembly,' AIA pointed out. According to the organization, US aerospace and defense exports reached US$135.9 billion in 2023, including US$113.9 billion for civil aviation alone. This allowed the sector to generate a trade surplus of US$74.5 billion and to invest US$34.5 billion in research and development, it said. The sector employs more than 2.2 million people in the United States across more than 100,000 companies, which in 2023 produced goods worth nearly $545 billion. In its response to Lutnick, the A4A highlighted how beneficial the international Agreement on Trade in Commercial Aviation (ATCA) had been by helping to eliminate tariffs and trade barriers over nearly half a century. 'The US civil aviation industry is the success story that President Trump is looking for as it leads civil aerospace globally,' it insisted. A full 84 percent of production was already American, it said, stressing that Washington 'does not need to fix the 16 percent' remaining. 'The current trade framework has enhanced our economic and national security and is a critical component to maintaining our national security moving forward,' it said. For manufacturers, the potential tariffs would act like sand jamming a well-oiled machine that has been running smoothly for decades, experts warned. They would also throw off balance an ultra-sensitive supply chain still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Competitive disadvantage' 'To avoid the situation getting worse, we advocate to keep aerospace outside of trade wars,' Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told the organization's general assembly last week. AIA meanwhile stressed that 'aircraft and parts are already in high demand and have a limited supply.' 'Integrating new suppliers and expanding capacity is complex, timely, and costly,' it warned, pointing out that finding suppliers capable of meeting rigorous safety certifications could 'take up to 10 years.' Delta Air Lines also argued for sticking with the status quo, cautioning that the proposed tariffs 'would hinder Delta's ability to maintain its current trajectory.' 'If component parts incur tariffs upon entering the United States, Delta will be at a competitive disadvantage to foreign competitors,' it said. 'The action would also impose an unexpected tax on Delta's purchases of aircraft contracted years in advance.' Delta chief Ed Bastian insisted in late April that the airline 'will not be paying tariffs on any aircraft deliveries we take,' adding that it was 'working very closely with (European group) Airbus' to minimize the impact. Delta pointed out in its letter to Lutnick that it currently had 100 aircraft on order from Boeing, and that it was demanding that its Airbus A220s be produced primarily in Mobile, Alabama. But if the tariffs are imposed, it warned, 'Delta would likely be forced to cancel existing contracts and reconsider contracts under negotiation.' — AFP
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Does US law allow Trump to send troops to quell protests?
LOS ANGELES, June 9 — President Donald Trump has deployed National Guard troops to California after two days of protests by hundreds of demonstrators against immigration raids, saying that the protests interfered with federal law enforcement and framing them as a possible 'form of rebellion' against the authority of the US government. California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday said he had formally requested that the Trump Administration rescind 'its unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles County' and return them to his command. What laws did Trump cite to justify the move? Trump cited Title 10 of the US Code, a federal law that outlines the role of the US Armed Forces, in his June 7 order to call members of the California National Guard into federal service. A provision of Title 10 - Section 12406 - allows the president to deploy National Guard units into federal service if the US is invaded, there is a 'rebellion or danger of rebellion' or the president is 'unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' What are National Guard troops allowed to do under the law cited in Trump's order? An 1878 law, the Posse Comitatus Act, generally forbids the US military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement. Section 12406 does not override that prohibition, but it allows the troops to protect federal agents who are carrying out law enforcement activity and to protect federal property. For example, National Guard troops cannot arrest protesters, but they could protect US Immigration and Customs Enforcement who are carrying out arrests. What are the implications for freedom of speech? The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees the right to assembly, freedom of speech and the press. Experts have said that Trump's decision to have US troops respond to protests is an ominous sign for how far the president is willing to go to repress political speech and activity that he disagrees with or that criticizes his administration's policies. A demonstrator holds a US flag across from California Highway Patrol officers. — Reuters pic Is Trump's move susceptible to legal challenges? Four legal experts from both left- and right-leaning advocacy organizations have cast doubt on Trump's use of Title 10 in response to immigration protests calling it inflammatory and reckless, especially without the support of California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who has said Trump's actions would only escalate tensions. The protests in California do not rise to the level of 'rebellion' and do not prevent the federal government from executing the laws of the United States, experts said. Title 10 also says 'orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States,' but legal experts said that language might not be an obstacle. Legislative history suggests that those words were likely meant to reflect the norms of how National Guard troops are typically deployed, rather than giving a governor the option to not comply with a president's decision to deploy troops. Could California sue to challenge Trump's move? California could file a lawsuit, arguing that deployment of National Guard troops was not justified by Title 10 because there was no 'rebellion' or threat to law enforcement. A lawsuit might take months to resolve, and the outcome would be uncertain. Because the protests may be over before a lawsuit is resolved, the decision to sue might be more of a political question than a legal one, experts said. A demonstrator strikes a Waymo self-driving car with a skateboard as another burns in the background during a protest against federal immigration sweeps in downtown Los Angeles June 8, 2025. — Reuters pic What other laws could trump invoke to direct the National Guard or other US military troops? Trump could take a more far-reaching step by invoking the Insurrection Act of 1792, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement, for which there is little recent precedent. Casting protests as an 'insurrection' that requires the deployment of troops against US citizens would be riskier legal territory, one legal expert said, in part because mostly peaceful protests and minor incidents aren't the sort of thing that the Insurrection Act were designed to address. The Insurrection Act has been used by past presidents to deploy troops within the US in response to crises like the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. The law was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, when the governor of California requested military aid to suppress unrest in Los Angeles following the Rodney King trial. But, the last time a president deployed the National Guard in a state without a request from that state's governor was 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson sent troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Montgomery, Alabama. — Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Unrest in Los Angeles as troops sent by Trump fan out
At least three self-driving Waymo cars were torched in downtown Los Angeles today. (San Francisco Chronicle/AP pic) LOS ANGELES : Police ordered the public to disperse from downtown Los Angeles after further unrest, with cars torched and security forces firing tear gas at protesters, in the wake of Donald Trump's deployment of national guard troops to America's second-biggest city. Protests in Los Angeles, home to a large Latino population, broke out on Friday, triggered by immigration raids that resulted in dozens of arrests of what authorities say are illegal migrants and gang members. Critics say the US president – who has made clamping down on illegal migration a key pillar of his second term – was deliberately stoking tensions with his deployment of California's national guard, a stand-by military usually controlled by the state governor. Demonstrators told AFP the purpose of the troops did not appear to be to keep order, with one calling it an 'intimidation tactic'. 'You have the national guard with loaded magazines and large guns standing around trying to intimidate Americans from exercising our first amendment rights,' protester Thomas Henning said. California governor Gavin Newsom called Trump's order a 'serious breach of state sovereignty' and demanded the president to rescind the order and 'return control to California'. He also urged protesters to stay peaceful, warning that those who instigate violence will be arrested. 'Don't take Trump's bait,' he said on social media platform X. Authorities declared downtown Los Angeles a place of 'unlawful assembly' by late this evening. Local media showed a heavy police presence blanketing mostly deserted streets in various areas. A few protesters remained scattered, with some lobbing projectiles and fireworks according to local aerial TV coverage. Trump called the protesters 'insurrectionists', and demanded authorities 'ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!' 'BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!!' he wrote on his Truth Social platform. At least three self-driving Waymo cars were torched as demonstrators thronged around downtown Los Angeles earlier today, and local law enforcement deployed tear gas and smoke grenades to disperse protesters. An Australian reporter was hit in the leg with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer while on live television. Her employer 9News said she was unharmed. Los Angeles police department (LAPD) officers established containment lines some distance from federal buildings by this afternoon, preventing contact between angry demonstrators and the scores of armed national guardsmen from the 79th infantry brigade combat team who had gathered in helmets and camouflage gear. Law enforcement had arrested at least 56 people over two days and three officers had suffered minor injuries, the LAPD said. Police in San Francisco said today about 60 people had been arrested in similar protests in the northern Californian city. 'Troops everywhere' The national guard is occasionally used in instances of civil unrest. (AP pic) Trump was unrepentant when asked about the use of troops, hinting instead at a more widespread deployment in other parts of the country. 'I think you're going to see some very strong law and order,' he told reporters. Responding to a question about invoking the Insurrection Act – which would allow the military to be used as a domestic police force – Trump said: 'We're looking at troops everywhere. We're not going to let this happen to our country.' US northern command, part of the department of defence responsible for national defence, said 'approximately 500 marines… are in a prepared-to-deploy status should they be necessary to augment and support' the ongoing federal operations. The national guard is frequently used in natural disasters, and occasionally in instances of civil unrest, but almost always with the consent of local authorities. Trump's deployment of the force – the first over the head of a state governor since 1965 at the height of the civil rights movement – was criticised by Democrats, including Kamala Harris. The former vice-president called it 'a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos'. Newsom said Trump was 'putting fuel on this fire'. 'Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral,' he said on X. 'California will be taking him to court.' 'Intimidation' However, Republicans lined up behind Trump to dismiss the pushback. 'I have no concern about that at all,' said house speaker Mike Johnson, accusing Newsom of 'an inability or unwillingness to do what is necessary'. Demonstrator Marshall Goldberg, 78, told AFP that deploying guardsmen made him feel 'so offended'. 'We hate what they've done with the undocumented workers, but this is moving it to another level of taking away the right to protest and the right to just peaceably assemble.' Raids by the immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agency in other US cities have triggered small protests in recent months, but the Los Angeles unrest is the biggest and most sustained against Trump's immigration policies so far.
