On Monday, we took a provocative step with California to sue President Donald Trump. They further focused this major legal action on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. As we write this, protests and unrest are spreading across Los Angeles. Over the weekend, local authorities reported over 300 arrests – including 170 for curfew violations. The complaint asks that the deployment of National Guard troops to the state be halted. Golden State Governor Gavin Newsom scorches the former president’s trollish behavior and points out that Trump is just looking to create confusion for his own political benefit.
Things changed pretty dramatically over the weekend. On Saturday alone, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested 29 people for “failure to disperse,” and then on Sunday, they arrested 21 more people for a variety of charges. In March of this year, thousands marched in the streets to protest. They raised the alarm about the federal government’s overreach and criminalization of immigrants here in California, resulting in these high-profile arrests.
Tom Homan, acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), told NBC News on Monday. Further raids, he made clear, are coming. He confirmed ongoing ICE arrests across southern California, exacerbating tensions in a region already home to approximately 3.5 million immigrants—one-third of Los Angeles County’s population.
Now entering the 2024 election season, Governor Newsom has been fiery and vocal on his opposition to the federal government’s overreach. He claims that Trump is “attempting to manufacture chaos and crisis” to benefit his political agenda. The governor’s opening statement of profound fear resonates with community leaders. They have been alarmed by the increasing militarization of law enforcement in response to our civil unrest.
In a controversial move that sparked plenty of outcry, the Trump administration sent 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles. Among other changes announced by Governor Newsom, that’s an increase from just 300 personnel deployed to date. Here, the question returns to the efficacy and motivations of the federal presence.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta set an example by filing a lawsuit. This legal action seeks to prevent the Defense Department from deploying additional troops to the state. Second, he called the situation an overreach of federal authority. He further stressed that cities and towns should be in charge of determining how to respond to protests.
The protests that began in Los Angeles have quickly spread across the country, reaching cities like New York, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco on Monday. In response to protests, LAPD used rubber bullets on a crowd around the federal buildings, causing even more anger within the community.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell addressed the use of force, stating that officers fired “target-specific munitions,” but admitted that “that’s not to say that it always hits the intended target.” Over the course of the weekend, the LAPD admitted firing over 600 rubber bullets at protesters during these violent conflicts.
In response to the escalating situation, David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-USWW, passionately declared, “This fight is ours, it’s our community’s, but it belongs to everyone. We all have to fight for them.” His statement is a promising sign of increasing solidarity between community leaders, activists, and those fighting for the rights of immigrants and the need for police reform.
Critics such as Congresswoman Karen Bass were left scratching their heads over why military forces had to be deployed to restore order in a domestic environment. “They need Marines on top of it? I don’t understand,” she remarked, highlighting concerns about excessive force used against residents exercising their First Amendment rights.
As racial tensions have escalated in recent months, ICE’s presence on campuses has come under increased fire for further escalating tensions and inciting protests. Tom Homan defended ICE’s operations by claiming they have removed “a lot of bad people off the street,” but acknowledged that some detainees did not have criminal records.
The federal government recently deployed approximately 700 marines to Los Angeles. This unusual deployment has caused a firestorm of criticism as civil rights advocates have rang alarm bells about potential violations of civil liberties and impacts on public safety.