From Newsweek: Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Friday after reported raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) swept through the city earlier in the day.
Newsweek reached out to ICE via email Friday night for comment.
"Since his January 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump has implemented sweeping change, mainly through executive orders, and has prioritized immigration control as a key pillar within the administration.
"Trump last month utilized the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime law that grants the commander in chief authority to detain or deport non-citizens. The implementation was originally blocked in federal court and sparked a contentious legal back-and-forth.
"Taking to X on Friday, Mayor Karen Bass posted a statement, saying, “This morning we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles.”
“As 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,” Bass said. “These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this.”
"California Governor Gavin Newsom also took to social media, reacting to the reported raids and a post that Service Employees International Union President David Huerta had been injured and detained observing one of them.
“David Huerta is a respected leader, a patriot, and an advocate for working people. No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action,” Newsom posted on X.
So Trump has intentionally provoked a riot. This will probably escalate until Trump evokes the insurrection act. We are moving toward authoritarianism at a rapid pace. The courts and the Blue states and people on the ground must stand up and push back. On June 14 people will be demonstrating in cities all over the country Trump conducts his military parade. Will the conflict that ensues be the occasion for Trump to declare martial law?
Addendum: June 9 @ 6:49 pm : The Trump administration is deploying a battalion of 700 Marines to Los Angeles to protect federal property and personnel, the United States Northern Command said on Monday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California quickly condemned the deployment as a “provocation,” saying in an interview with The New York Times that there was no need for Marines, that the National Guard troops Mr. Trump had already deployed were not all being put to work and that the president was acting to sow “more fear, more anger, and to further divide.”
Again, Trump’s riot incitement effort is likely to come to a head this Saturday when demonstrations go nationwide. Will he declare martial law and will he go on to call off the mid term elections and what will be the response of the resistance to these threats to democracy? At this point, at least we have Governor Newsom standing up to Trump’s threats, threatening to sue him, calling his bluff and pushing back.