Scattered protests in cities across the country against the Trump administration's harsh measures on migrants were relatively small and mostly peaceful, as hundreds of Marines were expected to arrive in Los Angeles on Tuesday, writes The New York Times.
The Trump administration sent 700 Marines and about 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the Los Angeles area, which angered Democratic Party leaders in California, who stated,
that the city's and state's law enforcement agencies were able to handle the unrest. Since Friday, at least 150 people have been arrested in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday morning, the streets in downtown Los Angeles were quiet. Some of the protests in Los Angeles over the past four days, including a rally on Monday afternoon, were centered around a group of federal buildings in the city center. National Guard troops were stationed there, but they mostly stayed in the shadows of the protests. Marines will protect federal employees and property in Los Angeles, according to a statement from the U.S. Northern Command.
The use of military force within the country is rare and usually applied in the most extreme situations. On Monday, the state of California filed a lawsuit to block the use of National Guard troops. The state argued that the decision to use the National Guard in Los Angeles violates the Constitution and U.S. laws, as there are no objective grounds for federalizing the National Guard. The plaintiff seeks to declare the defendants' actions illegal and prohibit these actions.
The day before, U.S. Border Commissioner Tom Homan stated that California Governor Kevin Newsom should be arrested. «If I were Tom, I would do it. It's great», — Donald Trump supported him. When asked by journalists what crime Newsom committed, the president explained that primarily it was running for governor, as Newsom is doing a poor job. The governor did to the state what Biden did to the country. «It's bad. It's the wrong philosophy. Hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants, many of them criminals, are taking your places in the healthcare system, in schools, in hospitals. And often they are criminals», — Trump said.
Meanwhile, misleading photos and videos widely spread on social media, repeating old conspiracy theories and expressing support for Trump's actions. The flow of false information on the Internet was apparently aimed at stirring up resentment towards migrants and political leaders, primarily Democrats.
In turn, Newsom responded to Homan that he could come and arrest him, but let him leave the four-year-old children and poor people he is hunting alone. «I protect my community, and the federal government needs to stop», — said the Governor of California.
Photo: The New York Times