Latest news with #ICEraids
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Finneas Says He Was Tear-Gassed During ICE Protest in L.A.
Finneas has spoken out after being tear-gassed while attending what he called a 'very peaceful' protest in downtown Los Angeles. Finneas has spoken out after being tear-gassed while attending what he called a 'very peaceful' protest in downtown Los Angeles. More from Billboard Kylie Minogue Joins Prestigious '21 Club' at London's O2 Arena Kevin Parker Previews New Tame Impala Music During Barcelona DJ Set 'Maybe Happy Ending,' 'Sunset Blvd.' Win Key 2025 Tony Awards: Full Winners List The Grammy-winning artist and producer took to Instagram on Sunday (June 8) to describe the scene, where protesters rallied against recent mass ICE raids in Southern California. 'Tear-gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown. They're inciting this,' he wrote on his Story, referring to escalating tensions sparked by federal agents and military presence in the city. The protest was one of several erupting across the city after President Donald Trump ordered National Guard troops into L.A. — a move that California officials called unconstitutional and inflammatory. Among the scenes shared by Finneas: a viral video showing Australian 9News reporter Lauren Tomasi being struck by a rubber bullet while covering the unrest. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department fired rounds of crowd control munitions to disperse those gathered, with one hitting Tomasi in the leg, prompting her to cry out and grab her calf while continuing to report. 9News later issued a statement confirming the incident and affirming the safety of Tomasi and her camera operator. 'While reporting from protests in Los Angeles, 9News reporter Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet,' the statement read. 'This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the frontlines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information.' California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment in a letter sent to the White House on Sunday, calling it 'a serious breach of state sovereignty.' He was in Los Angeles meeting with law enforcement and local leaders but did not confirm if he had spoken with Trump since the raids began. 'What we're seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration,' said Mayor Karen Bass in an afternoon press conference. 'This is about another agenda — this isn't about public safety.' The White House quickly fired back. 'It's a bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved,' said spokesperson Abigail Jackson in a statement. Finneas, who has previously used his platform to advocate for immigrant rights and social justice, also encouraged military personnel to resist unconstitutional orders. He shared the GI Rights Hotline — 1-877-447-4487 — along with a message soundtracked by Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down.' The protest he attended was one of several that grew increasingly tense over the weekend, including one outside a federal building where immigrants were reportedly detained after arriving for routine check-ins with ICE. Lawyers say some detainees were escorted to basement holding areas without notice. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Al Bawaba
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Trump to deploy 500 Marines in Los Angeles to stop protest
ALBAWABA - US President Donald Trump is expected to deploy at least 500 Marines to Los Angeles to stop ongoing protests which erupted against federal immigration raids. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told ABC News on L. A. protests, "You know, one of our core principles is maintaining peace through strength. We do that on foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well. I don't think that's heavy-handed." Hegseth threatened on Sunday to deploy Marines alongside the National Guard, which President Donald Trump had ordered to be deployed after signing a memorandum giving the Secretary of Defense the authority to "employ any members of the Armed Forces as necessary to reinforce, support, and protect federal property in any number he deems appropriate in his discretion." BREAKING: An enormous peaceful protest has broken out in Los Angeles in defiance of Donald Trump's ICE raids. This is how it's done. — Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) June 8, 2025 The memo also showed that the administration seeks to deploy at least 2,000 National Guard members for 60 days or a period determined by Hegseth. "The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE," Hegseth said in a post on X on Sunday. Via Truth Social, Donald Trump posted about the Los Angeles protesters, describing them as "troublemakers and insurrectionists." He said, "These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists."
Khaleej Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Trump's immigration crackdown: What is ICE? All you need to know about LA protests
US President Donald Trump on June 7 ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops from California to Los Angeles in response to growing protests over recent immigration raids. The protests, which have been widely discussed on social media under the hashtags #ICEraids #ICEProtests and #LAProtest, began on June 6 after federal immigration agents from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) conducted several large-scale raids across Los Angeles. Tensions reached a peak in Los Angeles with the protests stretching into a third consecutive day. These operations are part of President Trump's broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants, which has intensified in recent months. Here's a look at what's happening in Los Angeles and what led to the protests: What is ICE? ICE, which stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security. It began operating in 2003 after a major government effort to boost national security in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. The law enforcement agency is playing a key role in the Trump administration's plans to crack down on illegal immigration. Donald Trump has vowed to deport record numbers of illegal immigrants during his second term, and the White House has set ICE a goal to arrest at least 3,000 migrants each day. Because of that pressure, people who were legally living in the US have been caught up in ICE raids. One of the most notable arrests during these operations was that of 238 men, accused of being Venezuelan gang members, who were deported without being given a chance to stand trial. They were sent directly to a high-security prison in El Salvador, a move that has drawn significant criticism. Why are people protesting the arrests? It's not uncommon for ICE to arrest people it believes are residing illegally in the US. But why are these raids sparking such strong opposition? The agency has faced increasing criticism for using 'extreme tactics' during the raids. ICE frequently publishes social media updates detailing the number of arrests made and even shares photos of those detained. The arrests, being carried out publicly, are seen by many as an effort to sow fear in immigrant communities. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids, arguing that they would "sow terror" in neighbourhoods where many residents are undocumented. In a statement posted on X, Mayor Bass also emphasised that her office "will not stand for this". We will not stand for this. — Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) June 6, 2025 The nature of the raids has been particularly controversial. ICE operations have targeted locations like hardware stores, garment factories, and warehouses, where many undocumented workers are employed. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Mayor Bass said in a statement. In another statement posted on X, she also emphasised the fear these raids generate for families. As a result of immigration raids, parents are afraid to take their kids to school, workers are unsure if they should go to work tomorrow, and young people are worried about their future. That does not make L.A. safer. We are strong. We are resilient. We are in this together. — Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) June 9, 2025 Why was Los Angeles targeted? Los Angeles, in particular, has been a primary target for ICE. Since Trump returned to office, California, along with other states like New York and Illinois, has seen a surge in immigration enforcement activity, according to a report published by Axios on June 3. These states are considered "blue" because they mostly vote in favour of the Democratic Party in presidential election, and are home to large immigrant populations. California, for example, has the largest immigrant population in the US, with nearly 10.6 million foreign-born residents, making up about 22 per cent of the nation's total immigrant population. Of those, approximately 1.8 million were undocumented as of 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that Los Angeles had been "invaded" by "illegal aliens and criminals", framing the immigration issue as a national security threat.
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
We are witnessing the first stages of Trump's police state
Now that Donald Trump's tariffs have been halted, his big, beautiful bill has been stymied, and his multi-billionaire tech bro has turned on him, how does he demonstrate his power? On Friday morning, federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted raids across Los Angeles – including at two Home Depots and a clothing wholesaler – in search of workers who they suspected of being undocumented immigrants. Though figures vary, they reportedly arrested 121 people. They were met with protesters who chanted and threw eggs before being dispersed by police wearing riot gear, holding shields, and using batons, guns that shoot pepper balls, rubber bullets, teargas, and flash-bang grenades. On Saturday, Trump escalated the confrontations, ordering at least 2,000 national guard troops to be deployed in Los Angeles county to help quell the protests. He said that any demonstration that got in the way of immigration officials would be considered a 'form of rebellion.' Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, called the protests an 'insurrection'. On Saturday evening, the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, threatened to deploy active-duty marines, saying: 'The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil. A dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK. Under President Trump, violence and destruction against federal agents and federal facilities will NOT be tolerated.' We are witnessing the first stages of a Trump police state. Last week, raids in San Diego, in Martha's Vineyard and in the Berkshires led to standoffs as bystanders angrily confronted federal agents who were taking workers into custody. Trump's dragnet also includes federal courthouses. Ice officers are mobilizing outside courtrooms across the US and immediately arresting people – including migrants whose cases have been dismissed by judges. History shows that once an authoritarian ruler establishes the infrastructure of a police state, that same infrastructure can be turned on anyone. Trump and his regime are rapidly creating such an infrastructure, in five steps: (1) declaring an emergency on the basis of a so-called 'rebellion', 'insurrection', or 'invasion'; (2) using that 'emergency' to justify bringing in federal agents with a monopoly on the use of force (Ice, the FBI, DEA, and the national guard) against civilians inside the country; (3) allowing those militarized agents to make dragnet abductions and warrantless arrests, and detain people without due process; (4) creating additional prison space and detention camps for those detained, and (5) eventually, as the situation escalates, declaring martial law. We are not at martial law yet, thankfully. But once in place, the infrastructure of a police state can build on itself. Those who are given authority over aspects of it – the internal militia, dragnets, detention camps, and martial law – seek other opportunities to invoke their authority. As civilian control gives way to military control, the nation splits into those who are most vulnerable to it and those who support it. The dictatorship entrenches itself by fomenting fear and anger on both sides. Right now, our major bulwarks against Trump's police state are the federal courts and broad-based peaceful protests – such as the one that many of us will engage in this coming Saturday 14 June, on the No Kings Day of Action. It is imperative that we remain peaceful, that we demonstrate our resolve to combat this tyranny but do so non-violently, and that we let America know about the emerging infrastructure of Trump's police state and the importance of resisting it. These are frightening and depressing times. But remember: although it takes one authoritarian to establish a police state, it takes just 3.5% of a population to topple him and end it. Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist. His newsletter is at
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Woke Hollywood stars unite to back fiery LA anti-ICE protests amid Trump's crackdown on illegal migrants
Eva Longoria and Chrissy Teigen were among the Hollywood stars speaking out on social media about the ongoing protests in Los Angeles over ICE raids ordered by President Donald Trump. Multiple stars took to platforms such as Instagram amid news Trump ordered 2000 troops with California 's National Guard to the area amid ongoing unrest, to the objection of California Governor Gavin Newsom. On her Instagram Stories, Longoria reposted a tweet from the Newsom in which he criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his threat to deploy active-duty marines into the area to quell the resistance to Trump's policy. Newsom calling Hegseth's vows 'degranged behavior' while the Desperate Housewives star characterized it as 'Un-American.' Longoria, who has long been out outspoken about social issues also reposted a video from singer, Gloria Estefan, talking about the issue; a clip of a woma being separated her child from her child due to the raids; and a clip of a person advising citizens on their rights in pertinence to the issue. There were numerous flashpoints of violence in Southern California over the tension-packed weekend, the AP reported. In the city of Paramount,which is about 16 miles from downtown Los Angeles, there was a conflict between autohrities and protesters close to a Home Depot where federal agents had erected a makeshift office for the Department of Homeland Security. Authorities unfurled tear gas, pepper balls, and explosives at protesters, who fought back with rocks and cement in some of the area's most chaotic times since that riots that followed the verdicts in the police officers in the Rodney King case in April 1992.
