Latest news with #NationalGuardsmen
Daily Mirror
31 minutes ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
9 troubling Donald Trump moments as he 'illegally' sends troops into LA
Two thousand more National Guard troops, as well as 700 Marines, are on their way to Los Angeles under orders from Donald Trump. That's on top of the 2,000 troops already in the city, following protests against Trump's hardcore deportation programme. California Governor Gavin Newsom doesn't want them. The city's police chief says they'll create problems with public safety. And California's attorney general says their presence is unlawful and has filed a lawsuit to send them packing. But Donald Trump does want them there, claiming the city would have been "completely obliterated" if he hadn't deployed the guard. He's the first president in about 60 years to call in the Guard without a request from the Governor. But LA Mayor Karen Bass says the reality on the ground in LA - a city not unfamiliar with policing protests on its streets, even violent ones - is nowhere near as apocalyptic as Trump is making out. She says the deployment is a "deliberate attempt" by the White House to "create disorder and chaos in our city." Here's more on that, and all the other wild and unhinged things that happened in Trump world last night. Buckle up. California Governor Gavin Newsom last night claimed the first 2,000 National Guardsmen sent to LA had been given no food or water and forced to sleep on the floor in federal buildings. He also said only about 300 had been deployed. "This is reckless," he tweeted. "Pointless. And disrespectful to our troops." In lowkey one of the most chilling moments of his second presidency so far, Donald Trump called for a sitting Governor to be arrested, for no reason. "I would do it if I were Tom [Holman, Trump's border czar," he told reporters outside the White House. Newsom responded in a post on X: "The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America." Asked later what crime Newsom had committed, Trump - a convicted felon himself - said: "The crime he committed? Well, the primary crime is running for Governor, because he's done such a bad job. What he's done to that state is what Biden did to this country. And that's pretty bad. It's the wrong philosophy." In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump appeared to suggest the "insurrectionists" protesting against a wave of deportations in California had taken to spitting at National Guardsmen (who had barely been deployed at that point). "If they spit, we will hit," he said in the post. "These Patriots are told to accept this, it's just the way life runs. But not in the Trump Administration. IF THEY SPIT, WE WILL HIT, and I promise you they will be hit harder than they have ever been hit before. Such disrespect will not be tolerated!" Despite repeatedly referring to protesters who disagree with his immigration policy as "insurrectionists", Trump seems curiously reticent to describe the protests as an "insurrection." "I wouldn't call it quite an insurrection, but it could have led to an insurrection," he said yesterday. There's a couple of reasons Trump could be reluctant to use the "I" word. The first is that if he tried to invoke the Insurrection Act, he'd find out pretty quickly that even the violence in LA doesn't meet the legal definition. It's not about the level of violence - it's about the target, which would have to be a "revolt or rebellion against the government". And the other reason he might want to step lightly around the definition of insurrection, is that January 6th absolutely was one - and about 140 days ago he pardoned all the people behind it. Cast your mind back to the dog days of Trump v1, when Trump was grilled on having failed to restore law and order. "I have," Trump insisted. "Except in Democrat run cities. "Look, we have laws. We have to go by the laws. We can't move in the National Guard. I can call insurrection but there's no reason to ever do that, even in a Portland case." Asked what had changed yesterday, Trump said: "The biggest change from that statement is we have an incompetent governor, so I talked about governors but I didn't talk about... he's an incompetent governor. Look at the job he's been doing in California." For the record, Gavin Newsom has been governor of California since January 2019, months before Trump made the above statement. Riffing, for some reason, on the subject of World War II, Trump repeated one of his weirdest false statements. "France was celebrating," he said of VE-Day commemorations. "And as you know Hitler made a speech at the Eiffel Tower. "But when I spoke to President Macron he said 'Oh we are celebrating the great victory of World War II, and I think that's great that he was doing that. "But we're the one that won it, and we weren't celebrating. And I said to myself, isn't that crazy? And I think it's time for us to celebrate a bit." Adolf Hitler never gave a speech at the Eiffel Tower. He wasn't even able to go up the Eiffel Tower after Germany invaded France, because the French severed the lift cables just before they took Paris. Hitler visited occupied Paris in June 1940, and was photographed on the Trocadero with the Tower in the background, but he never made a speech from the landmark. If you're not familiar with Twitter/X's "menswear guy", Derek Guy is one of the last remaining delights of the increasingly apocalyptic platform. From time to time he does slightly sardonic, but always kindhearted teardowns of (usually famous) men's wardrobes - using them as examples to help people look better in their clothes. For example, he was not a fan of Rishi Sunak's notoriously short trousers. "Lots of conspiracy theories on why Sunak wears such short trousers … but my theory is simple … Sunak is a vaguely trend-aware guy, but just a little behind the times," he wrote. "I don't think he has a grand theory for how short sleeves and pants make him look taller". He's also previously taken aim at JD Vance for wearing trousers that are "too slim" and jackets that "don't hug him very well". He's also branded his ties a "distraction". So, in recent days he's taken a bit of heat from some on the left for suggesting that while he disagrees with ICE raids and arbitrary deportations, he also disagrees with violence against law enforcement officials. During the conversation, he admitted he'd been brought into the country as a baby over the Canadian border. "Since I came here without legal documentation, I eventually fell into the category of being an undocumented immigrant. Yet, I've been in the United States since I was a baby. My identity and roots are very much based in this country, no different from anyone else," he wrote. "The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life. It has made every interaction with the law much scarier. It has shaped which opportunities I could or could not get. It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud." Obviously this has been seized upon by MAGA, who brought it to the attention of JD Vance - who posted this in response... True to form, Menswear Guy had a response of his own... As tension between the White House and Europe heats up, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is , select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our . Asked, given reports Elon Musk was "blurring the lines" between medicinal and recreational drug use, he knew if the erratic tech billionaire had ever had drugs on him in the White House, Trump said this: "I really don't know. I don't think so. I hope not." He added: "I wish him well. Very well, actually." Trump's big Pyongyang tank parade is this Saturday night, and we're all very excited about it. The White House has said it'll cost somewhere between $25 and 45 million - including potentially tens of millions of dollars to repair the roads after a massive column of tanks rolls down the city's streets. Not unreasonably, Trump was asked yesterday who is going to pay for it. Trump says he is. "A lot of that money is being paid for by me and people that make donations," he claimed. "I don't know if you know that. A lot of it won't even come out of the have people putting up money to do it. Not that I think it's necessary because I think it's a great expenditure." He went on: "We have many tanks. We have all sorts of new ones and old ones. Old from World War I and World War II. It's really a celebration of the army." Perhaps protesting too much, he added: "And it's not my birthday. It is my birthday. But I'm not celebrating my birthday. I'm celebrating flag day. It happens to be the same day." Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
700 Marines heading to LA for riot assistance; Newsom calls move 'deranged fantasy' of Trump
Editor's note: This page reflects the news from ICE protests in Los Angeles on Monday, June 9. For the latest news on the LA protests, read USA TODAY's live coverage for Tuesday, June 10. LOS ANGELES − A tense standoff between California and the federal government escalated Monday, with federal officials preparing to send in 700 Marines to assist the National Guard and state officials saying they will sue the Trump administration's decision to "trample over" Gov. Gavin Newsom's authority. Newsom shot back at Trump over the move to send in Marines: "U.S. Marines have served honorably across multiple wars in defense of democracy. They are heroes. They shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President." The addition of active-duty troops marks a significant escalation. It comes as California officials say they will sue the Trump administration, challenging the decision to federalize the National Guard and send its members onto city streets amid increasingly hostile protests over Trump's immigration policies, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Monday. In addition to the Marines, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on Monday that 2,000 National Guardsmen would be deployed to Los Angeles. The mobilization of additional troops comes after Trump authorized 2,000 guardsmen to be deployed to the city. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the Marines are being sent "due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty... are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order." "We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not," Hegseth said. Trump said the troop deployment in Los Angeles is expected to last 60 days, according to California's adjutant general. Amid moves from the Trump administration to deploy as many as 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is firing back with all tools in his arsenal, including 800 additional officers, a lawsuit and invectives warning Trump is acting like a 'dictator.' 'Los Angeles: don't take Trump's bait. Trump wants chaos and he's instigated violence,' Newsom said in a post on X. 'Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don't give him the excuse he's looking for.' Newsom's move to rally support comes after Trump ordered National Guardsmen to Los Angeles without the governor's consent and after the president even suggested Newsom should be arrested. 'This isn't about public safety. It's about stroking a dangerous President's ego,' Newsom said in another post. 'This is Reckless. Pointless. And Disrespectful to our troops." The California governor has called out Trump's moves to intervene in the city while also drawing a firm line with protestors: 'Foolish agitators who take advantage of Trump's chaos will be held accountable.' Trump and Newsom have often clashed, but the showdown over Los Angeles marks a new low in their heated relationship. In a lawsuit, Newsom says the Trump administration is violating California's sovereignty. 'One of the cornerstones of our Nation and our democracy is that our people are governed by civil, not military, rule,' the lawsuit says. Trump 'used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab, this time at the cost of the sovereignty of the State of California.' Read more about their feud here. A photojournalist for the Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network, spotted a convoy of Marines heading for Los Angeles Monday evening. Five buses and six to 10 armed vehicles passed Park Boulevard near Joshua Tree while heading west on Highway 62 — the main route from Twentynine Palms to Los Angeles — shortly after 7 p.m. At the nearby crosswalk, about 20 protestors were gathered demonstrating against the recent immigrations raids. The movement of troops to the city comes just hours after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced 700 Marines would be "deployed to Los Angeles to restore order." California state officials have fired back that federal troops are escalating the tension between law enforcement and protestors. Several crowds of demonstrators circled downtown Los Angeles, including City Hall and several federal buildings as helicopters paced the crowds from above. By 7 p.m. local time, the crowds numbered at least several hundred, snaking its way past cars and graffiti calling for ICE to be horns and sirens maintained a constant background symphony as protesters walked. Police officers periodically fired tear gas or pepper balls as a crowd sometimes moved too close to a protected building or someone threw a water bottle at the previous evening, local authorities appeared to have the area under firm control, although no one stopped people with spray paint from defacing public was no visible sign of federal troops. At a news conference Monday, Bonta announced details of the lawsuit against the administration, calling Trump's move "unnecessary, counterproductive and most importantly unlawful." Bonta said Trump's order abused the federal government's authority and "trampled over" Gov. Gavin Newsom's sovereignty. Trump said the guard would restore order amid mounting violent clashes between police and protesters angry at his aggressive pursuit of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. illegally. On Monday, U.S. Northern Command confirmed 700 Marines would also be sent into the city. The president pledged in a social media post to "liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots. Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free." In a social media post, Newsom blamed Trump for the increase in unrest after three days of protests, saying "we're suing him." 'Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,' Newsom said in a statement. Police on Monday were urging businesses and residents to report any "vandalism, damage or looting" for documentation after some of the protests Sunday deteriorated into destructive clashes between officers and protesters. Some vehicles were set ablaze, protesters blocked the 101 Freeway, and a group of them converged on an overpass and threw objects down at police, video footage showed. Authorities declared several of the demonstrations Sunday "unlawful assemblies," sweeping in with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades to disperse hundreds of protesters. Police in riot gear were joined by hundreds of the California National Guard troops. More: National Guard deployed in Los Angeles during protest clashes California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Monday that he would have an additional 800 state and local law enforcement officers deploy to Los Angeles. Newsom said the additional officers are being called in order to handle the protests stemming from the face-offs between protestors and national guardsmen that were sent in 'illegally,' according to the governor's office. 'Chaos is exactly what Trump wanted, now we are sending in hundreds more law enforcement to pick up the pieces,' Newsom said. 'State and local leaders stand together, coordinated and resolute to ensure the safety of the Los Angeles region.' Karen Bass, LA's mayor, backed Newsom: 'While Washington choreographed these chaotic events, the LAPD and local law enforcement continue to effectively respond.' The Pentagon is sending 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration sweeps by the Trump administration, according to U.S. Northern Command spokesperson Col Kelly Frushour. Frushour said the troops belong to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment and are based at Twentynine Palms, about 140 miles east of Los Angeles. The California-based Marines will join the 2,100 federalized National Guard troops "protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area," Frushour added. Marines heading to Los Angeles are from an infantry battalion whose typical mission is close combat with enemy forces. But for this mission, Frushour said, the activated Marines and Guardsmen "have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force." The Marines will be moving out within hours, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The Marines had been on standby since Saturday, according to U.S. Northern Command, which is in charge of the operation that also includes California National Guardsmen. Like the Guard troops, the Marines will be used to protect federal property. The addition of active-duty troops is a significant escalation in the administration's ongoing efforts to round up those who have violated immigration laws. There are thousands of active-duty troops assisting at the southern border but none inside a major U.S. city. Read more here. - Tom Vanden Brook, Davis Winkie California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit on Monday against President Donald Trump over the president's move to deploy members of the California National Guard without Newsom's consent. The process is called federalizing the National Guard. The Office of the California Attorney General shared a copy of the lawsuit with USA TODAY late Monday afternoon local time. 'One of the cornerstones of our Nation and our democracy is that our people are governed by civil, not military, rule,' the lawsuit says. Trump 'used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab, this time at the cost of the sovereignty of the State of California.' Trump authorized 2,000 National Guardsmen on June 7 to deploy to Los Angeles and on June 9 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered another 2,000 to the city, according to the lawsuit. Officials at the Los Angeles Police Department announced that they had arrested 50 people over Saturday and Sunday in downtown areas that 'escalated into significant acts of violence, vandalism, and looting.' LAPD said 29 people were arrested Saturday evening for failing to follow orders to disperse. 21 people were arrested Sunday on charges from attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail to assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, LAPD said. Authorities said officers used tear gas on the 'hostile crowd' as well as over 600 rounds of non-lethal bullets. Among those hit was an Australian journalist covering the protests. At least five officers received minor injuries, according to LAPD. Five police horses also 'were targeted and sustained minor injuries.' Police said protest groups used handheld radios 'to coordinate and evade law enforcement.' LAPD said its Professional Standards Bureau will investigate excessive use of force allegations. An Australian journalist was shot with a rubber bullet by an officer while covering protests in Los Angeles over the weekend, according to her media outlet. Lauren Tomasi, a U.S. national correspondent for Australia's 9News, was shot in the leg by a rubber bullet while reporting on the immigration raids and ensuing protests in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 8, the network reported. Video captured by 9News shows a nearby armed police officer aiming a weapon at Tomasi before firing, striking the back of her left leg. Tomasi is heard yelling out in pain as the camera pans away. Tomasi is sore but otherwise unharmed from the incident, 9News reported. - Greta Cross Multiple Waymo self-driving robotaxis were set on fire in Los Angeles during the protests. Other cars were also put to the torch but the Waymos have garnered special interest, partially because they're something new on the scene and partially because as electric vehicles, they raise different and specific concerns if their batteries burn. Electric vehicle fires can burn hotter and more intensely than gasoline-fueled cars, if their batteries catch fire. The fires also release different emissions than traditional gasoline-powered vehicle fires, including gases such as hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and metal-based particulates. EV fires are also more difficult to put out than ones in gasoline-powered cars and require different firefighting techniques, which firefighters are trained on. - Elizabeth Weise The City of Glendale, about 9 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, announced it would be terminating its contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold federal immigration detainees at the local police facility, city officials said in a news release Sunday night. ICE's agreement with Glendale had been in place since 2007, according to the release. '(The) City recognizes that public perception of the ICE contract—no matter how limited or carefully managed, no matter the good—has become divisive,' the statement said. On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security responded to the announcement on X, saying 'Glendale's politicians stand with criminal illegal aliens, including gang members, rapists, and murderers over American citizens.' 'It is deeply disturbing that sanctuary politicians in Glendale, California, would terminate an agreement to hold ICE detainees and violent criminals — which the city has had with DHS for more than 15 years — just as violent rioters are looting and defacing Los Angeles and assaulting federal law enforcement,' DHS said. - Victoria Valenzuela Several stars have taken to social media to share information and resources, and to criticize the federal response to what they called peaceful demonstrations in Los Angeles. On June 8, Billie Eilish's brother and collaborator, Finneas, posted on his Instagram story about the protests, cursing at ICE and sharing that he attended a protest and was immediately met with force. "Tear gassed almost immediately at the very peaceful protest downtown ‒ they're inciting this," wrote the songwriter, an LA native. -Taijuan Moorman Bonta, the California attorney general, confirmed June 9 that the state plans to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its "unlawful" decision to deploy National Guard troops in Los Angeles against Newsom's wishes. Bonta said that by the time the first few hundred troops arrived in Los Angles "the protests had mostly dissipated and streets were mostly quiet and calm." After the troops were deployed, Bonta said the situation escalated and unrest grew, "causing highways to close and putting people in danger." The order violated the 10th Amendment and failed to meet the criteria required to invoke the law, according to the attorney general. Bonta said the move marks the first time a president has invoked this statute since President Richard Nixon ordered the National Guard to deliver mail during the 1970 Postal Service Strike. "They unlawfully invoked a law that's intended to prevent an invasion by a foreign nation or a rebellion or local and state law enforcement make it so that the laws of the United States cannot be executed," Bonta said. "Those are the only three triggers that would provide for the invocation of the National Guard, and none of them were present here." When asked about Trump's suggestion that Newsom should be arrested, Bonta defended the governor's actions and downplayed the possibility. "It is the president and the Trump administration that is consistently and frequently, blatantly and brazenly violating the law, not Governor Newsom," Bonta said. "So it's a seems to be more of bluster and threat." In San Francisco, three separate protests against immigration arrests were scheduled for Monday, June 9. The first took place at noon at the California State Building, a few blocks from City Hall. It was called by the Service Employees International Union, whose California president, David Huerta, was arrested Friday in the Los Angeles protests. Attendees were urged to wear their union colors. A second protest was scheduled to be held at San Francisco City Hall at 4 p.m. local time and was organized by multiple local progressive groups. Finally, at 6 p.m. a protest was scheduled to be held at the 24th street BART subway plaza in San Francisco's Mission District, which is the heart of the city's Hispanic community. The protests in San Francisco come as several Waymo self-driving taxis were attacked and burned in Los Angeles during protests on Saturday, June 7. The city in Northern California is home to the largest number of the self-driving cars, where they are a common sight on roadways. Waymo told USA TODAY while the company was still operating and serving riders in San Francisco, out of an abundance of caution it was limiting trips in certain areas where protesters may be gathering. - Elizabeth Weise While national attention focused on Los Angeles, it was business as usual for virtually everyone in the city. Outside the Home Depot in the Paramount neighborhood, a small group of day laborers in paint-stained pants sat on buckets waiting for work. Several said ICE had detained people across Alondra Boulevard on June 7, sparking unrest. They said that although they lacked papers to remain legally in the United States, they weren't worried about being deported if ICE agents returned. Mexican-born Jose Luis Valencia, 54, said if it's his time to go back to his home country, he'll go. 'We're not thieves,' he said. 'We're just looking for jobs.' Longtime LA resident Ira Long, 67, said the reporting of the unrest has been overblown. Long, a pastor at the Alondra Church of Christ in Compton, said he still remembers when the National Guard was called out in the wake of the 1992 Rodney King riots. 'That was a really, really terrible time. Right now I don't feel any of that tension or anxiety,' said Long, a retired special education teacher. 'But people are uneasy, and there's a real sense of loss because we have lost people who were a part of this community.' Speaking as church volunteers prepared to distribute food to community members about a half mile from where weekend protests erupted, Long said he wants the rest of the country to know Los Angeles is a good, safe city. 'This is a very loving community,' he said. 'It's never been totally out of control. It has its challenges, its issues. But there are also amazing and fantastic families who make this a great place to live. It's very peaceful. And right now it's pretty cool.' Dozens of protesters rallied outside the Justice Department's headquarters in Washington to criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles, where Trump deployed the National Guard. 'Enough of these mass ICE raids who are sweeping up innocent people,' Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said June 9. 'Enough of the undermining of due process.' The Service Employees International Union organized the protest after the union's California president, David Huerta, was arrested in the Los Angeles protests. Bill Essayli, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, told KNBC, Huerta allegedly obstructed law enforcement vehicles from getting into a facility where they were conducting a search warrant, citing video of the arrest. 'They tried to move him and then he got into a physical altercation with one of our agents and he resisted and he had to be pepper sprayed and subdued,' Essayli said. Participants at the Justice Department protest held signs that said, 'Free David. End ICE Raids' and 'Justice for David Huerta Now.' The rally was one of more than a dozen scheduled in cities across the U.S. to demand Huerta's release and an end to workplace immigration raids, the Los Angeles Times reported. − Bart Jansen Amid the mounting legal clash between the federal government and the state of California, Trump suggested that his border czar Tom Homan should arrest Newsom. 'I would do it … I think it's great,' Trump said when asked if Homan should arrest the governor, who has challenged the administration's mobilization of National Guard troops to crack down on violent protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. Arresting Newsom, who responded to Homan's threat by daring the feds to arrest him in a June 8 social media post, would represent a major escalation of the state's widening rift with the Trump administration. − Davis Winkie LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell called the outbreak of violence "disgusting" and said it had grown worse Saturday. He said he does not believe the same people who were genuinely protesting immigration policy were involved in the violence. Newsom warned that violent protesters would be arrested and prosecuted. He also kept up his social media attack on Trump, saying California "didn't have a problem until Trump got involved" and that unrest is "exactly" what Trump wanted. "Let's get this straight: 1) Local law enforcement didn't need help. 2) Trump sent troops anyway — to manufacture chaos and violence. 3) Trump succeeded," Newsom wrote. "4) Now things are destabilized and we need to send in more law enforcement just to clean up Trump's mess." Family members of several people detained last week in an ICE sweep pleaded for the release of their loved ones at a press conference Monday. Elaina Jung Hee Vermeulen, with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, said she attempted on Sunday to meet with some of the detained warehouse workers. "Instead of allowing me to meet with community members, they jumped onto trucks in riot gear," she said. Vermeulen urged local leaders to protect the rights of working class immigrants and said ICE must be banned from entering workplaces. "Every single person who is here, who is figintg for a better life for their family, deserves to have their rights protected," she said. As South Dakota governor in February 2024, Kristi Noem threatened then-President Joe Biden when Democrats said he should federalize the National Guard in Texas to disrupt that state governor's anti-immigration efforts. If he did, Noem warned, Biden would be mounting a 'direct attack on states' rights,' and sparking a 'war' between Washington and Republican-led state governments, she said in a Feb. 6, 2024 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. On June 8, Noem − now Trump's Homeland Security secretary − cheered Trump for doing the same thing to the Democratic governor of the state of California. On CBS News' Face the Nation Sunday, Noem explained her reversal by saying, "Governor Newsom has proven that he makes bad decisions." Read more here. − Josh Meyer A California sheriff running for governor isn't pleased with former Vice President Kamala Harris' reaction to the explosive protests. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said in a June 8 post on X that Trump is "not out there lighting cars on fire, hurling projectiles at law enforcement or blocking freeways.' The sheriff, whose county is just north of San Diego and the fourth-most populous county in the state, was responding to Harris' earlier statement where she said the deployment of the National Guard was "meant to provoke chaos.' Harris, who is mulling a bid for California governor next year, put much of the blame on the Trump administration's ICE raids and a "cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division." Bianco, who is also running for governor in 2026, is a long-standing Trump supporter who gained a bit of attention in 2021 for vowing not to enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates in his office. He said Sunday the former VP's comments were 'an embarrassment." 'The Democrats and their 'leaders' own this,' Bianco added. − Phillip M. Bailey Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia, who co-founded the group Latinas for Trump, criticized his administration's recent immigration enforcement actions as 'unacceptable and inhumane' in a post on X. Her remarks come as federal agents have arrested immigrants in courthouses across the U.S., including Florida, stripping them of due process protections, as NBC News reported. 'I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens, but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings − in many cases, with credible fear of persecution claims − all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal,' she wrote in her post, referring to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. She said she stands with Florida Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar, who wrote in a statement June 6 that 'anyone with a pending asylum case, status-adjustment petition, or similar claim deserves to go through the legal process.' − Sudiksha Kochi Trump border czar Tom Homan on Monday denied ever calling for the arrest of Newsom. Homan told Fox News that he was asked if Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could be arrested and Homan responded that, if they commit a crime, they could be arrested. 'There was no discussion about arresting Newsom,' Homan said. Newsom had addressed the issue on social media, saying that "Trump's border czar is threatening to arrest me for speaking out. Come and get me, tough guy. I don't give a damn. It won't stop me from standing up for California." At 8 p.m. local time on Sunday, authorities declared the protest to be an unlawful assembly and moved in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades. That sent hundreds of people running, their eyes streaming with tears. Helicopters clattered overhead as protesters fled the area to the honking of car horns and periodic cheers. According to preliminary information, police said at least 10 people have been arrested and three officers were injured during protests on Sunday. California Highway Patrol arrested 17 people on the 101 Freeway, police said. On Saturday, police arrested 29 people. The protests began Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps in the area resulted in more than 40 arrests. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, defended the raids and said those arrested by ICE included a Vietnamese man convicted of second-degree murder, an Ecuadoran man convicted of possession of five kilograms of cocaine, and a Filipino man convicted of sexual offenses. "These rioters in Los Angeles are fighting to keep rapists, murderers and other violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets," McLaughlin said in a statement. "Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer." Protests against immigration enforcement policies were not limited to the Los Angeles area. In San Francisco, a demonstration that drew hundreds ended with violence and about 60 arrests, police said. "Individuals in the group became violent and began to commit crimes ranging from assault to felony vandalism and causing property damage," San Francisco police said in a statement. An unlawful assembly was declared and many left the scene while others vandalized buildings and police cars. Two officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries. "Individuals are always free to exercise their First Amendment rights in San Francisco but violence especially against SFPD officers - will never be tolerated," the statement said. Videos show Waymo cars on fire amid LA protests; service reportedly suspended Photos and videos show several Waymo self-driving cars being torched during the protests. The LAPD said one street had been closed indefinitely after "multiple autonomous vehicles" had been set on fire. Footage shared on social media captured several of Waymo driverless taxis engulfed in flames in the June 8 protests. Others were vandalized with messages against Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, videos show. Waymo suspended service in downtown Los Angeles and "will not be serving any rides in the protest area until it is deemed safe," a company spokesperson told NBC News. − Melina Khan This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marines heading to LA; Newsom says move is Trump's 'deranged fantasy'
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
50 arrests, 600 non-lethal rounds fired: LAPD says they can handle the protests
50 arrests, 600 non-lethal rounds fired: LAPD says they can handle the protests LAPD says they have made 50 arrests and fired over non-lethal rounds to quell fraught protests. Charges against demonstrators include attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail. Show Caption Hide Caption Active-duty marines deployed for Los Angeles anti-ICE protests President Donald Trump is sending in active-duty Marines to assist law enforcement with immigration protests in Los Angeles, California. Officials at the Los Angeles Police Department said Monday that despite violent demonstrations, local police can handle whatever protesters throw at them and that additional federal help is unnecessary and could become a hindrance. 'The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles - absent clear coordination - presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,' Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement. 'The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively.' McDonnell's statement comes amid the administration of President Donald Trump saying that the city is out of control. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines . . . are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a post on X. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not,' Hegseth said of the California governor. In addition to the 700 Marines, a Pentagon spokesperson said 2,000 National Guardsmen were ordered to Los Angeles. Trump already ordered 2,000 guardsmen to the city. LAPD has admitted that things have gotten hectic. Officers have fired over 600 non-lethal bullets and made 50 arrests. On Saturday, LAPD said 29 people were arrested for failing to follow orders to disperse. 21 people were arrested Sunday. Charges against them included attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail and assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, LAPD said. Police said officers used tear gas on the 'hostile crowd' as well as over 600 rounds of non-lethal bullets. Among those hit was an Australian journalist covering the protests. But the office of Governor Gavin Newsom has said that Trump's move to put National Guardsmen and Marines in Los Angeles has provoked the worst of the unrest. Newsome announced Monday that an additional 800 state and local police officers would be deployed to Los Angeles to handle confrontations between protestors and national guardsmen that were sent in 'illegally,' according to the governor's office. Karen Bass, LA's mayor, backed Newsom: 'While Washington choreographed these chaotic events, the LAPD and local law enforcement continue to effectively respond.' At least five Los Angeles Police officers received minor injuries, according to LAPD. Five police horses also 'were targeted and sustained minor injuries.' Police said protest groups used handheld radios 'to coordinate and evade law enforcement.'
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
'Do YOUR job': Gavin Newsom clashes with JD Vance, other GOP officials over LA protests
'Do YOUR job': Gavin Newsom clashes with JD Vance, other GOP officials over LA protests California Gov. Gavin Newsom is not holding back as top Republican officials criticize his handling of the increasingly hostile protests over President Donald Trump's immigration policies. In addition to his ongoing feud with Trump, who suggested the Democrat be arrested, Newsom has responded to sweeping criticism by Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and other GOP officials. The tension between the Golden State and federal regulators comes after the Trump Administration deployed National Guard troops to crack down on violent protests against immigration raids in LA. Around 700 U.S. Marines and 2,000 National Guardsmen have been ordered to mobilize protestors in the area after the president already authorized the deployment of 2,000 guardsmen. The San Francisco native criticized the president's comment Monday, June 9 that "it would be a great thing" for border czar Tom Homan to arrest him. "The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America," he wrote on X. "I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism." Newsom for most of the day fired back with all tools in his arsenal, including 800 additional police officers, a lawsuit and invectives warning Trump is acting like a 'dictator.' 'Los Angeles: don't take Trump's bait. Trump wants chaos and he's instigated violence,' Newsom said in a post on X. 'Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don't give him the excuse he's looking for.' White House Communications director Stephen Cheung took to social media to accuse Newsom of being "the biggest cuck in American politics," a centuries-old insult that the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines in a few different ways, none of them flattering. Cheung accused Newsom of allowing "domestic terrorists to desecrate and defile communities across CA." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the Marines are being sent "due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty... are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order." "We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not," Hegseth said. The post was viewed more than 3 million times within four hours. Trump and Newsom have often clashed but the showdown over Los Angeles marks a new low in their heated relationship. In a lawsuit, Newsom says the Trump administration is violating California's sovereignty. 'One of the cornerstones of our Nation and our democracy is that our people are governed by civil, not military, rule,' the lawsuit says. Trump 'used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab." Newsom used the official governor of California website to skewer the president over sending federal troops to the state without the governor's consent, saying he would send 800 state and police officers "to clean up President Trump's mess." Here's a breakdown of who Newsom has clashed with on social media. Vice President Vance urged the California governor control the chaos that escalated in the state himself before blaming Trump or the White House's action. "Do your job. That's all we're asking," Vance wrote. Less than two hours later Newsom replied "Do YOUR job. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Rescind the order. Return control to California." Vance later responded to a video shared by Homeland Security's official X account of a masked demonstrator holding a Mexico flag while standing on top of a graffitied vehicle as burning cars line the street. "This administration will not be intimidated by lawlessness," he wrote. "We will stand by the FBI agents tracking down violent criminals, by the guardsmen, local police, and Marines restoring order, and by the ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws. President Trump will not back down." Tom Cotton Senator Cotton blamed the Democratic party for violence that escalated in LA Sunday. "They demand open borders, or they will riot. And Dem politicians like Newsom will back them," the U.S. Senator from Arkansas wrote on X. "It won't work. We must never tolerate this lawlessness." Newsom replied on X writing: "The only one supporting lawlessness is you and every one of Trump's minions who are allowing him to illegally militarize our city and incite violence." Cotton replied with a photo of the demonstrator holding the Mexico flag writing "What kind of governor blames police officers and the National Guard for 'inciting' this violence? Your policies created this mess. And California deserves a lot better." Jim Jordan Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio indirectly addressed LA protestors waving flags for Mexico or other countries writing: "We fly the American flag in America. Newsom later quoted the X post with pictures rioters from the Jan. 6 insurrection storming the US Capitol in 2021 holding American flags. "Like this?" Newsom quipped. While Jordan did not reply to the governor's comment, he continued to address the situation in LA writing "President Trump is deporting CRIMINAL illegal aliens. And the Left is burning down Los Angeles." "Republicans back law enforcement. Leftist rioters throw rocks at them," he later wrote. Tommy Tuberville Newsom later responded to a Florida's Voice report of U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama echoing Trump's call to arrest the California governor. "Lock him up," Tuberville told Florida's Voice. "LA looks like a third world country — anarchists are in charge, law enforcement is being attacked, and the rule of law is nonexistent." Newsom replied to the retired college football coach citing that Alabama has three times the higher homicide rate of California. According to most recent CDC data, in 2022 Alabama had a homicide rate of 14.9 with over 700 deaths while California had a rate of 5.9% with over 2,300 deaths. "Its murder rate is ranked third in the entire country," Newsom wrote. "Stick to football, bro." Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver
NDTV
12 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Trump Sends Thousands Of More Troops To LA As Immigration Protests Intensify
Los Angeles: US President Donald Trump has ordered the temporary deployment of about 700 Marines to Los Angeles, as he pledged those protesting his aggressive immigration policies would be "hit harder" than ever. Monday was the fourth straight day of protests in Los Angeles, where hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside a federal detention centre holding immigrants. Police reportedly threw flash bangs and shot rubber bullets at protesters in downtown Los Angeles after telling people clogging the streets to "clear the area" on a loudspeaker. Demonstrators outside a federal detention centre shouted "Pigs go home!" at National Guardsmen in riot gear guarding the facility. Some protestors also banged on the sides of unmarked vehicles as they passed through police containment lines. A crowd converged on the center, where they chanted "Shame! Shame! Shame!" at federal troops. 🇺🇸 Los Angeles riots This is Highway 101. The main thoroughfare in Los Angeles appears — HB Li (@HBLi17) June 10, 2025 Thousands More Troops In LA After Trump's order, the US military said a battalion would be sent to help protect federal property and personnel until more National Guard troops could reach the scene. Trump said on Monday he felt he had no choice but to order the deployment to prevent violence from spiralling out of control. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, who were placed in an alert status over the weekend to support #USNORTHCOM mission, prepare to depart for the greater Los Angeles area June 9. — U.S. Northern Command (@USNorthernCmd) June 9, 2025 But, for now, the Trump administration was not invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow troops to participate directly in civilian law enforcement, a US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told news agency Reuters. The Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, said his department had not received any formal notification that the Marines would arrive in the city. The deployment "presents a significant logistical and operational challenge," he said. The state of California has, meanwhile, 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. California Governor Gavin Newsom also informed that Trump is deploying another 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, after his initial deployment of 2,000 troops. US Marines have been deployed domestically for major disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001, attacks, but it is extremely rare for US military troops to be used for domestic policing. Federal law allows the president to deploy the National Guard if the nation is invaded, if there is "rebellion or danger of rebellion," or if the president is "unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States." Therefore, Trump could deploy Marines under certain conditions of law or under his authority as commander in chief. Without invoking the Insurrection Act, the Marines, like the National Guard, would still be prevented from directly enforcing civilian laws and would likely be limited to protecting federal personnel and property. 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 HW Bush to help respond to the 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. Protests In LA 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 protests so far have resulted in 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. Police on Sunday said some protesters had thrown concrete and bottles at officers. 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. Amid unrest in LA, 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.
