Latest news with #RonGochez
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why did Trump deploy the National Guard to LA protests? How many have been arrested? What to know
WASHINGTON – National Guard members have started to arrive in Los Angeles after President Donald Trump ordered thousands of troops to the area over tense protests targeting the administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement. With demonstrations set to continue in the afternoon, area officials have declared an unlawful assembly and responded to protests over the weekend by firing tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang concussion rounds toward gathering crowds. Video footage of some of the protests showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks, lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. Demonstrators allege the Trump administration's immigration enforcement has violated civil and human rights. The sweeping immigration efforts, a hallmark of Trump's second term, has also caught up people legally residing in the country and led to legal challenges. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people – they cannot do that without an organized and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. But where are the protests taking place? How is California Gov. Gavin Newsom responding? Here's what to know: More: Illegal border crossings at record lows as crackdown spreads Trump ordered approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to help quell the protests in Los Angeles, where helmeted police in riot gear clashed with protesters who opposed tougher federal actions against undocumented immigrants. Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump signed a memo June 7 deploying the guardsmen 'to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.' 'The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs,' she said in a statement. On June 7, a large protest erupted in the city of Paramount in Los Angeles County, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. It came as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the area and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. About 350 to 400 protesters had gathered, and some were seen throwing objects at agents. Since then, demonstrations have widened out across parts of Los Angeles. A second protest in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night attracted approximately 60 people, who chanted slogans including "ICE out of L.A.!" The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said two deputies were taken to an area hospital for injuries, but they have since been released, according to multiple reports. Demonstrators have also reported injuries. One skirmish involved the arrest of a union leader, David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union of California, who said he was injured and detained by ICE. Newsom wrote in a post on X on June 7 that the move from the federal government to deploy National Guard troops is 'purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.' "LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need," Newsom wrote, alleging "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust." The Department of Homeland Security said that ICE operations have resulted in the arrests of 118 undocumented immigrants last week in Los Angeles, including five alleged gang members and others with criminal records for smuggling, drug trafficking and assault. Los Angeles police confirmed early on June 8 that one person had been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, along with several others who were detained but not yet formally charged, according to multiple reports. Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about tense immigration protests in Paramount, LA
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Protesters rally against immigration agents for second day in Los Angeles, World News
LOS ANGELES -Federal agents in Los Angeles faced off against demonstrators for a second day in a row on Saturday (June 7) following immigration raids a day earlier, prompting a senior White House official to call the protests a "violent insurrection." The security agents on Saturday were in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks. Live video footage showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people -- they cannot do that without an organised and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, said on X: "A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down." Trump's border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News that the National Guard would be deployed in Los Angeles on Saturday evening. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted Ice law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property." Reuters was unable to verify DHS's accounts. Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrants rights organisation Chirla, said lawyers had not had access to those detained on Friday, which she called "very worrying." Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." On Saturday, he described the day's protests as a "violent insurrection." The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for Ice to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also caught up people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." Salas of Chirla said protesters gathered after an Ice contingent appeared to be using parking lots near a Paramount Home Depot store as a base. Ice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the protests or potential immigration sweeps on Saturday. Political divisions over Friday's sweep Television news footage on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. [[nid:718740]] Raids occurred around Home Depots, where street vendors and day laborers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and a warehouse, Salas of Chirla said. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-Ice slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. In a statement, DHS criticised Democratic politicians including Mayor Bass, saying their anti-Ice rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "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," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Protesters rally against immigration agents for second day in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Federal agents in Los Angeles faced off against demonstrators for a second day in a row on Saturday following immigration raids a day earlier, prompting a senior White House official to call the protests a "violent insurrection." The security agents on Saturday were in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks. Live video footage showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people -- they cannot do that without an organized and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, said on X: "A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down." Trump's border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News that the National Guard would be deployed in Los Angeles on Saturday evening. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property." Reuters was unable to verify DHS's accounts. Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrants rights organization Chirla, said lawyers had not had access to those detained on Friday, which she called "very worrying." Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." On Saturday, he described the day's protests as a "violent insurrection." The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also caught up people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." Salas of Chirla said protesters gathered after an ICE contingent appeared to be using parking lots near a Paramount Home Depot store as a base. ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the protests or potential immigration sweeps on Saturday. POLITICAL DIVISIONS OVER FRIDAY'S SWEEP Television news footage on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. Raids occurred around Home Depots, where street vendors and day laborers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and a warehouse, Salas of Chirla said. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. In a statement, DHS criticized Democratic politicians including Mayor Bass, saying their anti-ICE rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "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," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. (Additional reporting by Lucia Mutikani, Alexandra Ulmer, Michael Martina; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer and Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Diane Craft and Deepa Babington)
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Protesters rally against immigration agents for second day in Los Angeles
Federal agents in Los Angeles faced off against demonstrators for a second day in a row following immigration raids a day earlier, prompting a senior White House official to call the protests a "violent insurrection". The security agents were in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks. Live video footage showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people -- they cannot do that without an organized and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, said on X: "A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down." Mr Trump's border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News that the National Guard would be deployed in Los Angeles yesterday evening. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property". Reuters was unable to verify DHS's accounts. Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrants rights organisation Chirla, said lawyers had not had access to those detained, which she called "very worrying". Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." He described the day's protests as a "violent insurrection." The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Mr Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Mr Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also caught up people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." Salas of Chirla said protesters gathered after an ICE contingent appeared to be using parking lots near a Paramount Home Depot store as a base. ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the protests or potential immigration sweeps. Political division over Friday's sweep Television news footage on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. Raids occurred around Home Depots, where street vendors and day laborers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and a warehouse, Salas of Chirla said. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Ms Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. In a statement, DHS criticized Democratic politicians including Mayor Bass, saying their anti-ICE rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "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," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
CBS News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Local activists track apparent ICE operations in Los Angeles
With fear and frustration teeming in Los Angeles, local activists are tracking apparent ICE operations and reminding residents of their rights. Among the activists is a group called the Community Self-Defense Coalition LA, which consists of about 150 volunteers who patrol throughout the county. They've followed agents and recorded a pair of operations in Alhambra and San Fernando "In both of those places, we're happy to report, the agents decided to abort the mission for whatever reason," said activist Ron Gochez. ICE said it can't respond to rumors or specifics of routine daily operations. The images shared by Community Self-Defense Coalition LA come after recent operations by the Trump administration to catch people unlawfully living in Chicago and New York. Activists got on loudspeakers, telling members of the community that they do not have to answer the door if agents do not have a warrant. The chair of LA County's Republican party said these operations are targeting criminals. "The people with the loudspeakers and megaphones, trying to disrupt the lawful activities of law enforcement, don't understand one thing," Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge said. "To live with the consequence that ICE is going to have to find these people in ever-increasing dangerous situations." Gochez disputed Hoge's claim. "The data from ICE itself shows that more than half of the people who have been detained are people with absolute zero criminal records. The FBI, which has been assisting with immigration operations since late January, said anyone impeding law enforcement operations can be prosecuted. "We will not physically interfere," Gochez said. "We will not attack. We won't do anything illegal. We'll do anything in our legal means to defend the community." Activists said they arrived late to an apparent ICE operation in LA's Eastside. They aren't sure if anyone was taken away.
