Tag Archives: Civil Rights

MSNBC: Trump overplayed his hand in L.A. Now he’s going to try it in Chicago and New York City

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The president announced he’ll look to deport more immigrants from America’s biggest cities.

President Donald Trump sought to use Los Angeles as a test case for his most dramatic efforts to date to fulfill his campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation in U.S. history. The results show he may have overplayed his hand.

After immigration officials carried out a series of sweeps in Los Angeles, crowds began to gather, leading to protests and, in some cases, clashes with police. Trump sent in the National Guard over the objection of the governor, then the Marines. A California senator was removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press event when he tried to ask questions.

So what did Americans think of all this? Roughly half said Trump has “gone too far” with the arrests of immigrants and disapprove of his handling of the protests, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

True to form, Trump is now doubling down. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, he wrote that he will be directing ICE to “expand efforts to detain and deport” undocumented immigrants in “America’s largest cities,” specifically naming Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City.

Even if Trump wanted to carry out mass deportations at the scale he’s promised, the logistics are nearly impossible.

If at first you don’t succeed, fail, fail again!

Opinion | Trump overplayed his hand in L.A. Now he wants to try Chicago and New York.
The president announced he’ll look to deport more immigrants from America’s biggest cities.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-deportations-chicago-new-york-project-47-rcna213240

Law & Crime: ‘Different in kind’: 4-star generals, admirals serving from JFK to Obama say Los Angeles ICE protests don’t warrant deployment of National Guard to California

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4-star admirals, generals serving from JFK to Obama warn Trump’s deployment of National Guard poses ‘potentially grave risk’

Ahead of a Zoom hearing scheduled for Tuesday at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a group of retired four-star generals and admirals who served under presidents ranging from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama filed court documents warning that President Donald Trump’s federalization of the California National Guard and deployment of U.S. Marines poses “potentially grave risk of irreparable harm.”

Seeking the appellate court’s leave to file a brief and enter the case as amici curiae — Latin for “friends of the court” — the retired generals, admirals, and former U.S. Army and Navy secretaries did not explicitly take Gov. Gavin Newsom’s side in the case. They did suggest Sunday, however, that the Trump administration’s bid for an emergency stay of a lower-court ruling and continued push to quell “violent riots” in Los Angeles amid nationwide “No Kings” protests over ICE raids may not pass legal muster when compared to historical precedents.

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Again, although the retired admirals and generals did not support either party to the case, they implicitly warmed to Breyer’s ruling that the definition of “rebellion” has not been met and that, in the proposed amici’s words, the “recent and ongoing situation” in Los Angeles “appears to be different in kind” from the “extreme circumstances” of the 1992 Rodney King riots and the times when state governors “openly” and defiantly stood against the end of racial segregation during the Civil Rights era.

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The brief concluded that Trump’s injection of the military into “domestic political controversies” — “undermining its ability to achieve its core mission of protecting the nation” — is a case in point as to why troops “should be kept out of domestic law enforcement whenever possible.”

Retired four-star generals sound alarm at 9th Circuit on Trump’s National Guard deployment
Retired four-star generals and admirals warn that Trump’s federalization of the National Guard and deployment of U.S. Marines poses “potentially grave risk.”
‘Different in kind’: 4-star generals, admirals serving from JFK to Obama say Los Angeles ICE protests don’t warrant deployment of National Guard to California

Newsom Tells Nation That Trump Is Destroying American Democracy

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Gov. Gavin Newsom of California called on Americans to stand up to President Trump in a nationally televised address.

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the case in a televised address Tuesday evening that President Trump’s decision to send military forces to immigration protests in Los Angeles has put the nation at the precipice of authoritarianism.

The California governor urged Americans to stand up to Mr. Trump, calling it a “perilous moment” for democracy and the country’s long-held legal norms.

“California may be first, but it clearly won’t end here,” Mr. Newsom said, speaking to cameras from a studio in Los Angeles. “Other states are next. Democracy is next.”

“Democracy is under assault right before our eyes — the moment we’ve feared has arrived,” he added.

Mr. Newsom spoke on the fifth day of protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration raids that have sent fear and anger through many communities in Southern California. He said Mr. Trump had “inflamed a combustible situation” by taking over California’s National Guard, and by calling up 4,000 troops and 700 Marines.

“Trump is pulling a military dragnet all across Los Angeles,” Mr. Newsom said. “Well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals, his agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses.”

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Mr. Newsom said the president had taken a “wrecking ball” to the norms of American government by obliterating checks and balances.

“Congress is nowhere to be found,” he said. “Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility. The rule of law has increasingly been given way to the rule of Don.”

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But he called on people to stand up to Mr. Trump, whom he compared to leaders in authoritarian countries. He referenced the military parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington, which will honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army but also fall on Mr. Trump’s 79th birthday.

“He’s ordering our American heroes, the United States military, and forcing them to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past,” Mr. Newsom said.

Newsom Says Trump Is Destroying U.S. Democracy in Speech on L.A. Protests
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California called on Americans to stand up to President Trump in a nationally televised address.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/us/newsom-speech-trump-la-protests.html?unlocked_article_code=1.OE8.Q03c.TT30tytwYpG1&smid=url-share

LA Times: LA police swiftly enforce downtown curfew as protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown continue

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After days of fiery protest against federal immigration raids, Los Angeles residents and officials braced for the arrival of hundreds of U.S. Marines on Tuesday in what some called an unprecedented and potentially explosive deployment of active-duty troops with hazy mission objectives.

As Trump administration officials vowed to crack down on “rioters, looters and thugs,” state local officials decried the mobilization of 700 troops from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, calling it a clear violation of law and civility. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass even likened the deployment to “an experiment” that nobody asked to be a part of.

According to the U.S. Northern Command, which oversees troops based in the United States, the Marines will join “seamlessly” with National Guard troops under “Task Force 51” — the military’s designation of the Los Angeles force

Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot told The Times on Tuesday that the troops are in Los Angeles only to defend federal property and federal personnel and do not have arrest power.

It’s the “defend” part that we’re all afraid of — “defend” to the military means “destroy”.

Marines on streets of L.A. bring peril, questions
After days of fiery protest against federal immigration raids, Los Angeles residents and officials braced for the arrival of hundreds of U.S. Marines on Tuesday in what some called an unprecedented and potentially explosive deployment of active-duty troops with hazy mission objectives. As Trump administration officials vowed to crack down on “riote…

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/marines-on-streets-of-la-bring-peril-questions/ar-AA1Gt3Yk

NBC News: Gavin Newsom locks horns with Trump in a politically defining moment

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Newsom’s 2028 presidential aspirations hang in the balance as the eyes of the nation are on California’s clash with immigration authorities.

The battle between the president and the governor of the country’s largest state instantly turned Newsom into the face of resistance to President Donald Trump’s expansive interpretation of the authorities of his office and mass-deportation campaign. Newsom, who is a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, has been taking heavy criticism from within his own party over his efforts — in part through his new podcast — to cast himself in the role of conciliator.

Newsom delivered an address Tuesday night that aimed squarely at Trump and was clearly intended for a national audience.

“This isn’t just about protests here in Los Angeles,” he said. “When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commander the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation. This is about all of us. This is about you. California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived.”

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Newsom has also been mounting his own messaging offensive, including on X, where he posted what appeared to be photos of troops crowded on a floor, apparently attempting to rest.

“You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep. Here they are — being forced to sleep on the floor, piled on top of one another. If anyone is treating our troops disrespectfully, it is you @realDonaldTrump,” Newsom said on X.

On Sunday, Newsom chided Trump “border czar” Tom Homan, saying in an MSNBC interview: “Tom, arrest me. Let’s go.”

Late Monday, Newsom sat for a “Pod Save America” podcast recording in which he cast Trump’s actions as unconstitutional and said some of those assigned to Los Angeles — in his view, unnecessarily — were pried away from fentanyl investigations, and potentially from border operations, for “this theatrical display of toughness by a president of the United States who is unhinged.”

By Tuesday morning, Newsom accused Trump and his top White House deportation architect Stephen Miller of sheltering insurrectionists.

“The only people defending insurrectionists are you and @realDonaldTrump. Or, are we pretending like you didn’t pardon 1500 of them?”

Gavin Newsom locks horns with Trump in a politically defining moment
Newsom’s 2028 presidential aspirations hang in the balance as the eyes of the nation are on California’s clash with immigration authorities.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/rcna211813

Mediaite: DHS Secretary [Bimbo #2] Noem on Los Angeles: ‘They’re a City of Criminals’

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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem deemed Los Angeles “a city of criminals” as protests continued on Monday night.

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“Today, we had over 400 to 500 targets we were going after that were known members of gangs in L.A. that have been victimizing people for years, that Gavin Newsom has done absolutely nothing about, that Mayor Bass has done absolutely nothing about,” Noem said, taking issue with the fact that Bass said Los Angeles is a city of immigrants ….

Criminals in L.A.? She can start with LAPD Rampart Division. 😀

DHS Secretary Noem on Los Angeles: ‘They’re a City of Criminals’
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem deemed Los Angeles “a city of criminals” as protests continued on Monday night.
DHS Secretary Noem on Los Angeles: ‘They’re a City of Criminals’

AFP: China Tells Citizens In LA To Boost Personal Security Over Unrest

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China’s consulate in Los Angeles told its citizens in the area on Monday to strengthen personal security, after unrest in America’s second-biggest city.

“Chinese citizens in the region (should) strengthen personal security measures, stay away from gatherings, crowded areas, or places with poor public security, and avoid going out at night or travelling alone,” the consulate said in a statement.

They should also “closely monitor official announcements” and “raise their safety awareness”, it added.

Security forces faced off with protesters in the city on Sunday, as unruly protests over federal immigration raids continued for a third day, with President Donald Trump deploying National Guard troops.

Trump, who has made clamping down on illegal migration a key plank of his second term, vowed the troops would ensure “very strong law and order”.

The deployment in California — the first over the head of a state governor since the Civil Rights era — was “purposefully inflammatory,” Governor Gavin Newsom said.

The National Guard — a reserve military — is frequently used in natural disasters, and occasionally in instances of civil unrest, but almost always with the consent of local authorities.

China Tells Citizens In LA To Boost Personal Security Over Unrest
China’s consulate in Los Angeles told its citizens in the area on Monday to strengthen personal security, after unrest in America’s second-biggest city.

https://www.barrons.com/news/china-tells-citizens-in-la-to-boost-personal-security-over-unrest-5c3b3118

Associated Press: Protests intensify in Los Angeles after Trump deploys hundreds of National Guard troops

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Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to President Donald Trump’s extraordinary deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to control the crowd.

Some police patrolled the streets on horseback while others with riot gear lined up behind Guard troops deployed to protect federal facilities including a detention center where some immigrants were taken in recent days. Police declared an unlawful assembly, and by early evening many people had left.

But protesters who remained grabbed chairs from a nearby public park to form a makeshift barrier, throwing objects at police on the other side. Others standing above the closed southbound 101 Freeway threw chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles that were parked on the highway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover.

It was the third day of demonstrations against Trump’s immigration crackdown in the region, as the arrival of around 300 federal troops spurred anger and fear among some residents. Sunday’s protests in Los Angeles, a city of 4 million people, were centered in several blocks of downtown.

Starting in the morning, National Guard troops stood shoulder to shoulder, carrying long guns and riot shields outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. Protesters shouted “shame” and “go home.” After some closely approached the guard members, another set of uniformed officers advanced on the group, shooting smoke-filled canisters into the street.

Minutes later, the Los Angeles Police Department fired rounds of crowd-control munitions to disperse the protesters, who they said were assembled unlawfully. Much of the group then moved to block traffic on the 101 freeway until state patrol officers cleared them from the roadway by late afternoon, while southbound lanes remained shut down.

Nearby, at least four self-driving Waymo cars were set on fire, sending large plumes of black smoke into the sky and exploding intermittently as the electric vehicles burned. By evening, police had issued an unlawful assembly order shutting down several blocks of downtown Los Angeles.

Flash bangs echoed out every few seconds into the evening.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom requested Trump remove the guard members in a letter Sunday afternoon, calling their deployment a “serious breach of state sovereignty.”

…

Protests intensify in Los Angeles after Trump deploys hundreds of National Guard troops
National Guard troops have begun arriving on President Trump’s orders in response to immigration protests.

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protests-raids-los-angeles-78eaba714dbdd322715bf7650fb543d7

The Hill: Why are ICE agents running amok? Because they can. 

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As the Trump administration pushes for more mass deportations, law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security are suddenly everywhere. 

In San Diego, Homeland Security officers conducted a SWAT-style raid on a restaurant, handcuffing 19 employees over an hour and slamming the manager against a wall in the process. Eventually, they arrested four people. The raid was so heavy-handed that the officers had to deploy flashbang grenades to escape from the angry crowd that gathered in response.

Even members of Congress aren’t safe. Last week, Homeland Security officers forced their way into Rep. Jerry Nadler’s (D) New York office without a warrant. When one of the staffers protested, she was handcuffed and detained. 

The cases you hear about are only the tip of the iceberg. Federal officers are fanning out across the country, conducting raids, traffic stops, even scooping people up at courthouses when they appear for immigration hearings and carting them away in leg irons and shackles — harsh treatment that you seldom see even when felons are arrested. 

This heavy-handedness and cruelty isn’t a glitch — it’s intentional, as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, attempt to frighten immigrants into leaving the country. Even legal residents and American citizens are getting caught up in the crackdown.

And the worst part is, while things like barging into a congressman’s office and detaining his staffers aren’t legal, there is nothing anyone can do about it. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents force their way into your house without a warrant, slap you around and detain your family at gunpoint while conducting an illegal search, you have no way of getting your constitutional claims into federal court. As a practical matter, these agents are above the law and cannot be held accountable for violating your constitutional rights. 

Why are ICE agents running amok? Because they can.

https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/5335758-homeland-security-raid-immigration

Raleigh News & Observer: Another University Faces Investigation for Defying Trump

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The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Western Carolina University for allegedly violating Title IX and not complying with the Trump administration’s executive order on transgender women. The Office for Civil Rights claims the university has not ensured sex-separated facilities within federally funded institutions. Allegations include a female student being investigated for asking a male student to leave a women’s bathroom and cases of transgender female students being assigned to girls’ dormitories.

Western Carolina University stated it complied with all state and federal regulations and asserted it will adjust campus policies as necessary. Reports indicated violations related to ensuring sex-separated intimate spaces.

An investigation was opened after former student Payton McNabb filmed a male student in a women’s bathroom. McNabb noted that such policies violate individual rights and negatively impact female students seeking single-sex spaces.

So the investigation is based on the whining of a FORMER student., not on current conditions at the school.

Another University Faces Investigation for Defying Trump
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/another-university-faces-investigation-for-defying-trump/ss-AA1FixDk