On Friday, June 6th, hundreds of residents rallied in downtown Los Angeles to protest ICE immigration raids of local businesses to target migrant workers. Federal agents assaulted and arrested protestors during the stand-off, including labor union leaders. In response to escalating demonstrations and against the wishes of LA mayor Karen Bass or California governor Gavin Newsom, Trump signed a memo ordering 2,000 National Guard members to protect federal immigration officers. And now 700 Marines have been ordered to join the National Guard to support Trump’s crackdown.
Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and the US Military without consent of California’s governor is a dangerous escalation of his authoritarian tactics. Further, he does not intend to limit this action to California or Los Angeles or even to areas where protests are already happening; his memo authorizes the National Guard and active duty military troops to protect federal immigration officers and operations wherever “protests against these functions are occurring or likely to occur.” Trump also directed Hegseth to coordinate troop deployments with state governors, plural, signaling the possibility of Republican-controlled troops being sent to Democratic-controlled states.
Trump has long shown no hesitation to use the military on domestic soil to attack perceived threats to his fascist agenda. Representatives and governors must condemn and resist Trump’s attacks on our communities and constitutional rights.