Latest news with #BradBrooks
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration deploys Marines to Los Angeles, vows to intensify migrant raids
By Brad Brooks, Jane Ross, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration on Monday ordered U.S. Marines into Los Angeles and intensified raids on suspected undocumented immigrants, fueling more outrage from street protesters and Democratic leaders who raised concerns over a national crisis. Some 700 Marines based in Southern California were expected to reach Los Angeles Monday night or Tuesday morning, officials said, as part of a federal strategy to quell street demonstrations opposing the immigration raids, which are a part of a signature effort of President Donald Trump's second term. Although their mission to protect federal personnel and property is temporary - filling the gaps until a full contingent of 4,000 National Guard troops can reach Los Angeles - the deployment is an extraordinary use of military force in support of a police operation, and it comes over the objection of state and local leaders who did not request help. Meanwhile, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged to carry out even more operations to round up suspected immigration violators, extending a crackdown that provoked the protests. Trump officials have branded the protests as lawless and blamed state and local Democrats for permitting upheaval and protecting undocumented immigrants with sanctuary cities. The military and federal enforcement operations have further polarized America's two major political parties as Trump, a Republican, threatened to arrest California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, for resisting the federal crackdown. California sued the Trump administration to block deployment of the National Guard and the Marines on Monday, arguing that it violates federal law and state sovereignty. The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, said he was "gravely troubled" by Trump's deployment of active-duty Marines. "The president is forcibly overriding the authority of the governor and mayor and using the military as a political weapon. This unprecedented move threatens to turn a tense situation into a national crisis," Reed said. "Since our nation's founding, the American people have been perfectly clear: we do not want the military conducting law enforcement on U.S. soil," he said. The announcement that Marines would be deployed was made on the fourth straight day of protests. Late on Monday police began to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where immigrants have been held. Police said arrests were being made. National Guard forces had formed a human barricade to keep people out of the building. Then a phalanx of police moved up the street, pushing people from the scene and firing "less lethal" munitions such as gas canisters. Police had used similar tactics since Friday. RARE USE OF MILITARY U.S. Marines are known as the first American forces to establish and beachhead in U.S. military interventions, and as the last forces to leave any occupation. Though military forces have been deployed domestically for major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the attacks of September 11, 2001, it is extremely rare for troops to be used domestically during civil disturbances. Even without invoking the Insurrection Act, Trump can deploy Marines under certain conditions of law or under his authority as commander in chief. The last time the military was used for direct police action under the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when the California governor at the time asked President George H.W. Bush to help respond to Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King. Newsom contends it is his charge as governor to call in the National Guard, labeling Trump's" action as "an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism." Trump in turn said he supported a suggestion by his border czar Tom Homan that Newsom should be arrested over possible obstruction of his administration's immigration enforcement measures. "I would do it if I were Tom. I think it's great," Trump told reporters. FOUR DAYS OF PROTESTS The protests so far have resulted in a few dozen arrests and some property damage. "What is happening effects every American, everyone who wants to live free, regardless of how long their family has lived here," said Marzita Cerrato, 42, a first-generation immigrant whose parents are from Mexico and Honduras. Protests also sprang up in at least nine other U.S. cities on Monday, including New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco, according to local news outlets. In Austin, Texas, police fired nonlethal munitions and detained several people as they clashed with a crowd of several hundred protesters. Before the Los Angeles dispersal, several hundred protesters outside a detention center chanted "free them all," flew Mexican and Central American flags, and directed sometimes-vulgar insults toward federal officers. At dusk, officers had running confrontations with protesters who had scattered into the Little Tokyo section of the city. As people watched from apartment patios above street level, and as tourists huddled inside hotels, a large contingent of LAPD and officers and sheriffs deputies fired several flash bangs that boomed through side streets along with tear gas. Homeland Security said its Immigration and Customs Enforcement division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day in recent days, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden. "We conducted more operations today than we did the day before and tomorrow we are going to double those efforts again," Noem told Fox News' "Hannity." "The more that they protest and commit acts of violence against law enforcement officers, the harder ICE is going to come after them." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass opposed the clampdown, telling MSNBC, "This is a city of immigrants." Noem countered that, "They are not a city of immigrants. They're a city of criminals."
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
US deploys Marines to Los Angeles as police break up fourth day of protests
Military forces previously deployed domestically for major disasters California files lawsuit to block National Guard deployment Police break up downtown L.A. protest that had returned for a fourth day By Brad Brooks, Jane Ross, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali Tensions have been rising since Trump activated the National Guard on Saturday after street protests erupted in response to immigration raids in Southern California. It is the biggest flashpoint yet in the Trump administration's aggressive efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally. The announcement that marines would be deployed was made on the fourth straight day of protests. Late on Monday police began to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where immigrants have been held. National Guard forces had formed a human barricade to keep people out of the building. Then a phalanx of Los Angeles police moved up the street, starting to push people from the scene and firing 'less lethal' munitions such as gas canisters. Police had used similar tactics since Friday. The LAPD said late on Monday afternoon that some protestors had started throwing objects at officers and the use of less lethal munitions had been authorized, adding in an X post: 'Less lethal munitions may cause pain and discomfort.' California sued the Trump administration to block deployment of the National Guard and the Marines on Monday, arguing that it violates federal law and state sovereignty. U.S. Marines have been deployed domestically for major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001, attacks, but it is extremely rare for U.S. military troops to be used for domestic policing. For now, the Trump administration was not invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity. The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that a contingent of 2,000 National Guard troops would be doubled to 4,000. Trump said on Monday he felt he had no choice but to increase the level of force to prevent violence from spiraling out of control. Trump also said he supported a suggestion by his border czar Tom Homan that California Governor Gavin Newsom should be arrested over possible obstruction of his administration's immigration enforcement measures. 'I would do it if I were Tom. I think it's great,' Trump told reporters. Democrats said Trump's decision to deploy military force to handle the protests amounts to an abuse of presidential power, and California's lawsuit claimed it was illegal. 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented,' Newsom's press office said on X. FOUR DAYS OF PROTESTS The protests so far have resulted in a few dozen arrests and some property damage, including some self-driving Waymo vehicles that were set ablaze on Sunday evening. The Los Angeles Police Department said five officers sustained minor injuries on Saturday and Sunday, as did five police horses used in crowd control. Before the police intervention on Monday, several hundred protesters chanted 'free them all' outside the Los Angeles federal detention facility where immigrants have been held. 'What is happening effects every American, everyone who wants to live free, regardless of how long their family has lived here,' said Marzita Cerrato, 42, a first-generation immigrant whose parents are from Mexico and Honduras. Some in the crowd punched and tossed eggs at a Trump supporter at the event, while others fired paintballs from a car at the federal building. Protests also sprang up in at least nine other U.S. cities on Monday, including New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco, according to local news outlets. The Trump administration has argued that Democratic President Joe Biden's administration allowed far too many immigrants to enter the country and that Democratic-run cities such as Los Angeles are improperly interfering with efforts to deport them. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, setting a goal of at least 3,000 daily arrests. Trump can deploy Marines under certain conditions of law or under his authority as commander in chief. The last time the military was used for direct police action under the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when the California governor at the time asked President George H.W. Bush to help respond to Los Angeles riots over the acquittal of police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King. More than 50 people were killed in the 1992 riots, which also caused some $1 billion in damage over six days. Federal law allows the president to deploy the National Guard if the nation is invaded, if there is 'rebellion or danger of rebellion,' or the president is 'unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' (Reporting by Jane Ross, Jorge Garcia, Brad Brooks and Arafat Barbakh in Los Angeles and Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart in Washington;Additional reporting by Sandy Hooper, Daniel Trotta, Doina Chiacu and Steve Holland, Nandita Bose, Lizbeth Díaz, Noé Torres, Alexia Garamfalvi and Dietrich Knauth;Writing by Andy Sullivan, James Oliphant and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Mary Milliken, Ross Colvin, Michelle Nichols, Rod Nickel, Leslie Adler and Michael Perry)
Japan Today
7 days ago
- General
- Japan Today
Family of Colorado fire-bomb suspect taken into ICE custody
By Brad Brooks and Joseph Ax The family of the Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Colorado was taken into federal custody on Tuesday and could be quickly deported, officials said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media video post that ICE had taken into custody the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who lived in Colorado Springs and who federal officials have said was in the U.S. illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa and an expired work permit. Noem said while Soliman will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, federal agents were also "investigating to what extent his family knew about this horrific attack – if they had any knowledge of it or if they provided any support for it." ICE did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the detention of Soliman's family. According to local media reports, Soliman's family included two teenagers and three younger children. FBI and police officials had said on Monday that the family has cooperated with investigators. The suspect told investigators he acted alone. The White House, in a social media post, said Soliman's family was in ICE's custody for "expedited removal" and that they "could be deported as early as tonight." Department of Homeland Security officials said Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 on a tourist visa, filed for asylum the following month, and remained in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. The Sunday attack in Boulder, Colorado, injured a dozen people, many of them elderly. The attack targeted people taking part in an event organized by Run for Their Lives, an organization devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized during Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel. Soliman, 45, told investigators that he wanted to "kill all Zionist people" but had delayed committing the attack until after his daughter graduated from high school, according to state and federal court documents charging him with attempted murder, assault and a federal hate crime. Police and FBI affidavits quoted the suspect as saying he took firearms training to obtain a concealed-carry permit but ended up using Molotov cocktails because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying guns. Soliman told investigators that he had learned how to make the fire bombs from YouTube. A police affidavit filed in support of Soliman's arrest warrant said he was born in Egypt, lived in Kuwait for 17 years and moved three years ago to Colorado Springs, about 100 miles (161 km) south of Boulder, where he lived with his wife and five children. Federal and local authorities said at a Monday news conference in Boulder that Soliman had done nothing to draw law enforcement attention before Sunday's attack. He was believed to have acted alone, they said. An affidavit said the suspect "threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in the pro-Israel gathering," yelling, "Free Palestine" as they ignited in the crowd. The attack was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza. It followed the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy aides that took place outside Washington's Capital Jewish Museum last month. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family of Colorado fire-bomb suspect taken into ICE custody
By Brad Brooks and Joseph Ax (Reuters) -The family of the Egyptian national charged with tossing gasoline bombs at a pro-Israeli rally in Colorado was taken into federal custody on Tuesday, officials said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a social media video post that ICE had taken into custody the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who lived in Colorado Springs and who federal officials have said was in the U.S. illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa and an expired work permit. Noem said while Soliman will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, federal agents were also "investigating to what extent his family knew about this horrific attack – if they had any knowledge of it or if they provided any support for it." ICE did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the detention of Soliman's family. According to local media reports, Soliman's family included two teenagers and three younger children. FBI and police officials had said on Monday that the family has cooperated with investigators. The suspect told investigators he acted alone. Department of Homeland Security officials said Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 on a tourist visa, filed for asylum the following month, and remained in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. The Sunday attack in Boulder, Colorado, injured a dozen people, many of them elderly. The attack targeted people taking part in an event organized by Run for Their Lives, an organization devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized during Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel. Soliman, 45, told investigators that he wanted to "kill all Zionist people" but had delayed committing the attack until after his daughter graduated from high school, according to state and federal court documents charging him with attempted murder, assault and a federal hate crime. Police and FBI affidavits quoted the suspect as saying he took firearms training to obtain a concealed-carry permit but ended up using Molotov cocktails because his noncitizen status blocked him from buying guns. Soliman told investigators that he had learned how to make the fire bombs from YouTube. A police affidavit filed in support of Soliman's arrest warrant said he was born in Egypt, lived in Kuwait for 17 years and moved three years ago to Colorado Springs, about 100 miles (161 km) south of Boulder, where he lived with his wife and five children. Federal and local authorities said at a Monday news conference in Boulder that Soliman had done nothing to draw law enforcement attention before Sunday's attack. He was believed to have acted alone, they said. An affidavit said the suspect "threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in the pro-Israel gathering," yelling, "Free Palestine" as they ignited in the crowd. The attack was the latest act of violence aimed at Jewish Americans linked to outrage over Israel's escalating military offensive in Gaza. It followed the fatal shooting of two Israel Embassy aides that took place outside Washington's Capital Jewish Museum last month.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation director resigns, citing lack of independence
By Brad Brooks (Reuters) -The head of a U.S.-backed private humanitarian organization that is tasked with distributing aid in Gaza using an Israeli-initiated plan resigned on Sunday. Jake Wood, a former U.S. Marine and the executive director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for the past two months, said in a statement that he resigned because the organization could not adhere "to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon." Wood's statement did not provide more details and he did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. and U.N. officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. No humanitarian assistance has been delivered to Gaza since March 2, and a global hunger monitor has warned that half a million people face starvation - a quarter of the population in the enclave where Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas have been at war since October 2023. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies, and is blocking humanitarian deliveries to Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages taken in its attack on Israel. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, created in February, has been highly criticized by the United Nations, whose officials have said the foundation's aid distribution plans would only foment forced relocation of Palestinians and more violence. That plan, which had been set to begin by the end of May, was initiated by Israel and involves private companies - instead of the U.N. and aid groups who have handled Palestinian aid for decades - transporting aid into Gaza to a limited number of so-called secure distribution sites, which Israel said would be in Gaza's south. Wood earlier this month wrote a letter to Israel, saying the foundation would not share any personally identifiable information of aid recipients with Israel. Wood also asked Israel to facilitate the flow of enough aid "using existing modalities" until the foundation's infrastructure is fully operational. He wrote that was essential to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian pressure and ease pressure on the distribution sites during the foundation's first days of operation.
