California Republicans slam Newsom, Bass for letting LA burn with riots amid Trump immigration blitz
Riots against the Trump administration's immigration raids in Southern California are rocking Los Angeles this weekend and California Republicans are pinning blame for the violence on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.
"Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass have a real habit of letting Los Angeles burn," Republican California Rep. Darell Issa posted to X on Saturday evening.
"If only Karen Bass fought against the Los Angeles fires like she fights for illegal aliens," Issa added in another post, referring to the Palisades fire that tore through Southern California in January.
Riots broke out in Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday as immigration officials carried out raids to remove individuals illegally residing in the left-wing city, which dubbed itself a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants in November before President Donald Trump was sworn back into the Oval Office.
The raids began on Friday, with Bass issuing a statement supporting illegal immigrants in the city and bucking the Trump administration's deportation efforts.
"This morning, we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles," Bass said in a statement on Friday.
"As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My Office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this."
Newsom issued a similar statement on Friday, calling the immigration raids "chaotic and reckless."
"Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel. Donald Trump's chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America's economy," Newsom's statement read.
Newsom's press office doubled down in support of shielding illegal immigrants from deportation in a response X post to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Saturday.
"In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California. These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens," Leavitt posted to X.
Newsom's office responded: "These are anything but basic. Your indiscriminate sweeps are terrifying entire communities and detaining hardworking, tax-paying Californians. It's cruel escalation and must end."
Other Democrats in the state have gone even further in their defense of illegal immigrants amid the raids, with Democratic Rep. Norma Torres posting to TikTok on Saturday telling ICE officials to "get the f--- out of L.A. so that order can be restored."
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared unlawful assembly and issued a city-wide tactical alert on Friday evening as rioters attacked law enforcement officers, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday.
"Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer-funded property," read a statement from DHS. "Our ICE enforcement officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them. Disturbingly, in recent days, ICE officers' family members have been dox[x]ed and targeted as well."
As chaos broke out on the streets of LA, federal officials have pinned blame for the violence on Democratic elected officials who have "villainized and demonized" ICE law enforcement, Fox Digital previously reported.
"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," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, for example, wrote in a statement. "The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens.… From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end."
California Republicans and conservatives have also directed their ire at Democratic leaders for the violence, Fox Digital found.
"Gavin Newsom is unqualified for a plethora of reasons, the least of which is his support of illegal alien insurrectionists. He is an all purpose, all around loser," Hollywood actor and California resident James Woods posted to X.
Woods additionally described Bass as a "Communist" and Newsom as "Grease" in other posts asking to describe the California Democrats in one word.
"After four years of the Biden administration refusing to enforce our immigration laws, Americans voted for President Trump, who promised to enforce the law and secure the border. Our federal agencies, including ICE, have every right to enforce federal laws, even in sanctuary states," California Republican Rep. Ken Calvert posted to X.
"This is on you, Governor. It is a shame that California openly defies federal law and sides with illegal aliens, including hardened criminals, against its own citizens," Harmeet Dhillon, former vice chair of the California Republican Party and current assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, posted to X.
"Gavin Newsom seems to think that California can not only defy federal immigration law, but now federal tax law. The doctrine of nullification died with the Confederacy. What's next: firing on Fort Ord?" Republican California Rep. Tom McClintock posted to X, referring to Newsom floating withholding federal taxes in response to reports of the Trump administration cutting funding to the state.
Libs of TikTok, a popular conservative X account founded by an LA native, posted a series of messages pinning blame on local Democrats and providing updates on the violence.
Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and California native, responded to Bass on X after she defended illegal immigrants: "You have no say in this at all. Federal law is supreme and federal law will be enforced."
When asked about California Republicans' comments and the riots overall on Sunday morning, Newsom's communications director Izzy Gardon told Fox Digital: "LA riots? Have these geniuses ever seen what happens when the Eagles win a playoff game?"
Videos circulated on social media Friday night and Saturday showing people looting LA shops and setting fires, as well as lobbing rocks and other items at immigration officials. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks shared a photo of a Border Patrol agent's bloody hand that was injured by a rock flying through the windshield.
Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Saturday to deploy 2,000 National Guardsmen to Paramount, California, to help quell the violence, and has also slammed the local leaders for the chaos.
"If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" Trump posted to Truth Social on Saturday evening.
ICE acting Director Todd Lyons described what took place in Los Angeles on Friday as "appalling."
"As rioters attacked federal ICE and law enforcement officers on the LA streets, Mayor Bass took the side of chaos and lawlessness over law enforcement," Lyons wrote in a statement on Saturday. "These violent rioters will be held accountable if they harm federal officers, and make no mistake, ICE will continue to enforce our nation's immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens."
FBI Director Kash Patel vowed that any individual found attacking an immigration official will face jail.
"If you assault a law enforcement officer, you're going to jail – period," Patel said on Saturday, Fox Digital previously reported.
"It doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what cause you claim to represent," Patel added in comment to Fox News Digital on Saturday. "If local jurisdictions won't stand behind the men and women who wear the badge, the FBI will."
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