Comments
ACCORDING TO LIZ - Over the weekend the wild-eyed TACO Scump further riled already-on-edge Angelenos by posting: “Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!”
And authorized mobilization of a full battalion of Marines out of Twentynine Palms, just east of the City.
He had earlier declaimed: “If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”
Is this a declaration of war on the country’s most populous state by the tantrum-thrower in the White House?
The above-derided governor announced California will sue the Trump administration over the unlawfully commandeering of the State’s National Guard in support of ICE and Homeland Security personnel trolling the streets of Los Angeles for illegal workers to “detain” – and aggressively generating the violence the fraudster president seeks to suppress.
This is the first time in over 60 years a president has ordered such a deployment without a governor’s request. And then it was to protect the rights of the marchers to Montgomery against Alabama state officials who had intimated the majority Black population of Selma from registering and voting. And after brutal attacks on the Bloody Sunday protesters had been broadcast nationwide.
Another bit of history Trump would like to airbrush out of existence for his white nationalist followers.
Images over the past days show isolated incidents of agitators, those who show up primarily to foment disorder at any opportunity, vandalizing vehicles and lobbing bricks and fireworks at local law enforcement, but it appears to be the ICE agents who are the organized attackers using flash-bang grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets.
What is not receiving widespread visual coverage are protesters peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights in support of their communities.
The vast majority of undocumented Angelenos are not criminals and are not violent; they work hard to support their families and are the unseen backbone of the City’s labor force in construction and other basic services on which it depends, especially in the aftermath of the January wildfires.
Their friends and neighbors want justice for the many, not the indiscriminate gutting of families and neighborhoods from collateral arrests and detention.
As Chris Newman of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network pointed out, Biden administration actions actually targeted those with a criminal history. Now all Angelenos are justifiably terrified by 2025’s whole-scale and unconstitutional scooping up of persons perceived as illegal, and their hush-hush incarceration in deplorable conditions here and abroad.
Places like Libya and El Salvador. South Sudan and worse. The actions of a cruel and despotic dictator and his evil henchmen.
Early on, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department under Robert Luna may have aggravated matters. While acknowledging residents’ legitimate fears and their right to protest, escalating actions against protestors and calling for help may have opened the door to vengeful militarism by federal forces.
In contrast, LAPD officials released a statement calling Saturday's protests peaceful and commending “all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly” and expressing appreciation for “the cooperation of organizers, participants and community partners who helped ensure public safety throughout the day.”
Even the undocumented have rights under the Constitution – at least for now. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and others across the country have been informing immigrants and all Americans of those rights and how to protect themselves and their family members.
Even in Vermont I received a red “Know Your Rights” card to post in my window if La Migra comes banging on the door. No federal agent can enter without a warrant, and they can’t require me to reveal my immigration status. Now a citizen, for some months a number of years ago I remained after my visa expired. Would Trump have tolerated that?
Among early detainees was the Service Employees International Union’s California President David Huerta, who was injured. While in custody, he released a statement through the union:
“What happened to me is not about me; This is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”
Karen Bass condemned the raids in no uncertain terms: “As a Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city… We will not stand for this.”
Gavin Newsom called Trump's capricious call-up of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles “purposefully inflammatory” accusing Trump of seeking a “spectacle” and that, furthermore, the immigration raids were a ploy to sow “chaos so he can have an excuse to escalate.”
Senator Alex Padilla concurred: “Using the National Guard this way is a completely inappropriate and misguided mission. The Trump Administration is just sowing more chaos and division in our communities.”
All 15 members of the City Council joined together saying: “We condemn this in no uncertain terms: Los Angeles was built by immigrants, and it thrives because of immigrants. We will not abide by fear tactics to support extreme political agendas that aim to stoke fear and spread discord in our city.
“To every immigrant living in our city: we see you, we stand with you, and we will fight for you. Los Angeles will continue to be a place that values and dignifies every human being, no matter who they are or where they come from.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell released: “While the LAPD will continue to have a visible presence in all our communities to ensure public safety, we will not assist or participate in any sort of mass deportations, nor will the LAPD try to determine an individual’s immigration status.”
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado underlined the inappropriate timing of the ICE operations when families and students are celebrating graduations, and the LGBTQ+ community is celebrating Pride Month: “What kind of government plans this during our most sacred moments of joy? The footage speaks for itself. This is cruelty disguised as policy.”
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez derided Trump administration claims that ICE efforts were focused on dangerous criminals, ending with echoing Martin Niemöller’s peroration on Hitler’s obliteration of the Jews of Europe: “When they come for one of us, they come for all of us. And we have to remember that!”
What is the common theme of the foregoing quotes? That it’s important that California’s leaders stand together in resolute support of equal treatment of all residents under the law, whatever their immigration status.
This in direct contrast to the federal administration’s deliberate ratcheting up the violence, creating the chaos to justify quashing a State whose leaders believe the Constitution supersedes the whims of the terrified toddler in Washington.
Will it be war?
In a Sunday interview, Newsom called bringing in additional armed forces without state collaboration “an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act.” And capped that with averring “I care about my community. I care about this community.”
Despite Trumpian promises, this president has not been able to control Zelenskyy or Putin, Netanyahu or Hamas. Can he control Gov. Gavin?
While declining to invoke the Insurrection Act – at least yet – to mobilize federal troops, the Big Boss threatened “we're going to have troops everywhere,” and over the weekend Défense Secretary Hegseth had put more Marines – at Camp Pendleton – on high alert. Meantime, deputy chief of staff and world-class hater Stephen Miller further fanned the flames by posting “this is a fight to save civilization.”
Let’s trust the winds of change and the courage of Californian’s convictions blow those flames directly back on those who lit them and snuff out the putrefaction of corruption, the evil of self-important people using America and its resources, human and natural, for their personal profit.
As California has led in the past, standing together its people and leaders have the opportunity to lead the charge to dismantle the illegalities festering from the White House, and rebuild hope and democracy in our country.
(Liz Amsden is a former Angeleno who now resides in Vermont and is a regular contributor to CityWatch on issues that she is passionate about. She can be reached at [email protected].)
