 "Protesters in Paramount, California, near a burning car as feds clash with rioters. Reuters")
Riot-like situation erupted in Los Angeles after protesters and authorities clashed at demonstrations against immigration raids conducted by US President Donald Trump’s administration. In light of this, the POTUS ordered the deployment of over 2,000 National Guardsmen in Los Angeles to deal with unrest over raids on undocumented migrants.
While speaking to Fox News, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said on Saturday: “We are making Los Angeles safer.” The Californian city has been witnessing unrest for the past two days as residents of a predominantly Latino district clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents. In the videos that are circulating online, tear gas and batons were seen being used to disperse crowds in the Paramount district.
According to NBC News, at least 118 arrests were made in LA this week as a result of the ICE raids, including 44 made on just Friday alone. In light of this, California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the raids as “cruel”. Apart from this, the US Attorney for the Central District of California, which includes LA, noted that more than a dozen people were arrested today following clashes between protesters and federal agents.
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While speaking to NBC, Homan defended Trump’s move to deploy the National Guard in the city. He made it clear that both the California governor and LA Mayor Karen Bass are at risk of getting arrested if they resist the federal authorities. “President Trump is deploying the National Guard because they’re going to support our law enforcement efforts here that will help protect public safety,” Homan said on Saturday night (local time).
Meanwhile, Newsom accused the Trump administration of using the deployment to create a “spectacle.” He insisted that the immigration arrests that triggered protests were chaotic, calling it an attempt to sow chaos and escalate tensions.
In response to this, Homan chided Newsom for this criticism. “Help us take these criminals off the street. Stop applauding the protesters and support law enforcement,” Homan said. “Gov. Newsom should be on the phone thanking President Trump for making a state safer.” He insisted that neither Newsom nor Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats whom he accused of creating “a sanctuary for criminals,” were exempt from the prospect of getting arrested.
“I’ll say about anybody,” Homan said. “It’s a felony to knowingly harbour and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement from doing their job.” Homan exaggerated the figures during a Fox News interview and said that “around 150” undocumented immigrants were detained in the last two days as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers carried out a large-scale sweep across the city. While the clashes are still ongoing, it is unclear when the situation will settle.