Tag Archives: protests

Daily Express: Trump breaks with centuries-old U.S. tradition in bid to maintain ‘superiority’

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The move follows other efforts by Trump to turn government institutions into vehicles to further his personal agenda

Four-star general candidates will meet with President Donald Trump before their confirmation is finalized, according to the White House. The new procedure comes as a break from past practice, one that critics say appears as a possible attempt to treat military leaders as political appointees based on their loyalty to the president.

“President Trump wants to ensure our military is the greatest and most lethal fighting force in history, which is why he meets with four-star-general nominees directly to ensure they are war fighters first – not bureaucrats,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement to several outlets.

Kelly said the intent of the meetings is for Trump to ensure the military retains its superiority and that its leaders are focused not on politics, but on fighting wars. The New York Times, which was the first to report on the procedure, said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth first initiated it.

The recent move to personally oversee the political involvement of militarly leaders is not the first time the president has leveraged the armed forces in furtherance of partisan goals, according to The Associated Press. In June, during the height of the largely peaceful protests in Los Angeles against ICE raids, Trump mobilized the National Guard and the Marines.

He sent hundreds of troops into the streets of the California city against the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who has vocally opposed Trump on several occasions. Trump contended Newsom had “totally lost control of the situation.” Newsom said the president was “behaving like a tyrant.”

It was the first time the Guard has been used without a governor’s consent since then-President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Alabama in 1965 to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.

Trump followed up with a campaign-style rally at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where uniformed soldiers cheered as he criticized former President Joe Biden, Newsom and other Democrats, raising concerns that Trump was using the military as a political prop.

Sen. Tom Cotton, an Army veteran and Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the meetings “very welcome reform.”

“I’ve long advocated for presidents to meet with 4-star nominees. President Trump’s most important responsibility is commander-in-chief,” Cotton wrote in a post on X.

“The military-service chiefs and combatant commanders are hugely consequential jobs” and “I commend President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for treating these jobs with the seriousness they deserve.”

On July 14, Trump hosted a military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate both the Army’s 250th anniversary and his own 79th birthday. The parade featured troops marching in formation, military vehicles and product advertisements. It came as one of the most visible ways Trump has tried to turn government institutions into vehicles to implement his personal agenda, according to The Associated Press.

“As many lengths as Army leaders have gone through to depoliticize the parade, it’s very difficult for casual observers of the news to see this as anything other than a political use of the military,” said Carrie Ann Lee, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund who also taught at the U.S. Army War College.

Trump has wanted a military parade since his first term, but senior commanders balked, worrying it would be more like a spectacle one would see in authoritarian countries such as North Korea or Russia than something befitting the United States. After returning to the White House, Trump fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replaced him with his own pick and dismissed several other top military leaders.

“We don’t want military forces who work as an armed wing of a political party,” Lee said.

King Donald is turning flag-rank appointments into political appointees. This is an extremely bad idea.

https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/178958/trump-breaks-centuries-old-us-tradition

Newsweek: Pastor in US over 20 years held by ICE after failing to obtain green card

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A Maryland pastor who has lived in the United States for more than two decades was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying his visa, prompting protests from his community and calls for his release.

Daniel Fuentes Espinal, 54, was taken into custody on July 21 while driving to work in Easton, Maryland. ICE said he entered the country legally in 2001 on a six-month visa but never left.

“It is a federal crime to overstay the authorized period of time granted under a visitor’s visa,” the agency said in a statement to Newsweek.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump has ordered the government to carry out what Republicans call the largest deportation operation in United States history.

In addition to people living in the country without legal status, immigrants with valid documentation, including green cards and visas, have been detained. Newsweek has documented multiple cases involving green-card holders and applicants who were swept up in ICE raids.

What To Know

Fuentes Espinal, a Honduran citizen and father of three, has spent 15 years serving as a volunteer pastor at Iglesia del Nazareno Jesus Te Ama, or Church of the Nazarene Jesus Loves You, in Easton. Known for offering food, shelter and clothing to those in need, friends describe him as a man who “never expects anything in return.”

“Pastor Fuentes Espinal is a beloved pillar of the Easton community, known for giving shelter to those who need a place to sleep and for providing food and clothing to people at their most vulnerable,” family friend Len Foxwell wrote in a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $45,000 to help the family and cover legal fees.

Fuentes Espinal was first taken to a detention facility in Salisbury, Maryland, then transferred to Baltimore before being moved to the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana.

The pastor’s family said he has been trying for years to obtain a green card, spending thousands of dollars and navigating what they called a “bureaucratic nightmare.”

“They have felt for years as if the deck is stacked against them, despite having spent a considerable amount of money and time and effort” seeking permanent residency, Foxwell told CBS News.

Supporters have mobilized quickly. Members of the Easton community gathered Friday carrying signs and American flags demanding his release.

“It’s devastated our community. It’s shocked our community,” Foxwell told CBS Baltimore.

Maryland lawmakers have joined calls for his release. In a letter condemning his detention, Representatives Sarah Elfreth and Glenn Ivey described Fuentes Espinal as “a beloved pillar” of Easton and said that “his arrest and detention by ICE does nothing to further your stated goals of making America safer.”

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said his team is also working with Fuentes Espinal’s family.

What People Are Saying

A spokesperson for Republican Representative Andy Harris of Maryland, in a statement to CBS News: “Congressman Harris believes due process within the immigration enforcement system is important and that facts should be clear before making any further public comment.”

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland told CBS News: “The Trump administration is snatching up anyone they can find as they pursue their mass deportation agenda.”

Family friend Len Foxwell told CNN: “This is a family man, a man of faith, a small businessman who was literally just going to work to put in a full day’s work to feed his family.”

What Happens Next

Fuentes Espinal is awaiting a bond hearing. His family says they will continue to fight for his release.

Pastor in US over 20 years held by ICE after failing to obtain green card
Honduran citizen was detained in Easton, Maryland. ICE said he entered the U.S. legally in 2001 on a 6-month visa and never left.

https://www.newsweek.com/pastor-us-over-20-years-held-ice-after-failing-obtain-green-card-2107091

Bradenton Herald: City Council Considers Revoking Permit in Blow to ICE

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The Portland City Council is reportedly considering revoking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s permit for the South Waterfront facility due to concerns regarding unlawful detentions exceeding 12 hours. Community unrest has risen amid reports of intimidation and policy violations linked to ICE operations. The council has responded by reviewing legal options in light of resident pressure for more humane immigration enforcement.

At the latest hearing, residents reported intimidation and attacks linked to ICE agents, claiming they have violated Portland’s sanctuary policy. Critics argued that ICE has disrupted housing and schools.

Protests outside the facility escalated, with federal agents using tear gas and rubber bullets. Rising vandalism has further strained tensions between residents and authorities.

City Council Member Angelita Morillo claimed that tolerating ICE’s actions could set a dangerous precedent. Morillo said, “If we allow ICE to continue to operate when they have violated their permits, that means that anything becomes permissible moving forward.”

Portland, Oregon: City Council Considers Revoking Permit in Blow to ICE

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/city-council-considers-revoking-permit-in-blow-to-ice/ss-AA1JirF2

Sun Herald: Tenth Death in ICE Custody Sparks Outrage

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched an investigation into the death of Canadian citizen Johnny Noviello. He was reportedly found unresponsive at a Federal Detention Center in Miami. Noviello’s death has marked the tenth in ICE custody this year and the fourth in Florida.

ICE stated, “ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.”r

Bullshit! Way too many people have been saying otherwise.

ICE added, “All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”

More bullshit — see above.

ICE policies under President Donald Trump have drawn sharp criticism nationwide. ICE notified the Canadian consulate of Noviello’s death, though the consulate has not responded publicly. Noviello entered the U.S. in 1988 and became a lawful permanent resident in 1991.

Tenth Death in ICE Custody Sparks Outrage

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/tenth-death-in-ice-custody-sparks-outrage/ss-AA1IUBPZ

Daily Mail: Airline that deports ICE detainees suspends west coast operation after pro-migrant protests

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An airline which has been operating deportation flights for the Trump administration has announced major closures after furious pro-migrant protests at several airports. 

Texas-based budget carrier Avelo Airlines said this week that it will close down its west coast operations at Hollywood Burbank Airport as it struggles financially.

The company said it will reduce its operation at the airport to one aircraft until December 2 and then close the base which currently serves 13 routes.

Avelo said the protests and its contract with DHS did not have any effect on its decision to close the base and have not impacted its business.

‘We believe the continuation service from (Burbank) in the current operating environment will not deliver adequate financial returns in a highly competitive backdrop,’ the company said in a statement.

However, the airport has been the target of several fiery rallies by pro-migrant protesters who have hailed the closure as a response to their calls for a boycott. 

They include Nancy Klein, from Hollywood, California, who organized seven protests with activist groups CA27Indivisible and East Valley Indivisible in Southern California. 

‘This change in Avelo’s business operations is some evidence that being on the right side of history, while being principled and persistent, can make a difference,’ Klein said, adding that another protest is planned at Burbank Airport on July 27. 

The airline signed a contract with the US Department of Homeland Security in April to transport migrants to detention centers inside and outside America. 

It faced backlash from customers and employees over its partnership with the DHS. 

Protests unfolded across the country from outside the Burbank Airport to their hub in New Haven, Connecticut, calling on the airline to end its partnership with the DHS and for customers to boycott the carrier. 

Susan Auerback slammed Avelo for using migrant deportations ‘for their economic benefit’ during a protest at Burbank airport earlier this year.  

‘We will not stand for these mass deportations and we will intervene wherever we can to stop the operation of them,’ she told ABC7 reporters at the scene on April 28. 

‘Protesting an airline that has just decided that this is for their economic benefit to be part of this unjust policy is why we’re here.’

Avelo’s CEO, Andrew Levy, defended the decision at the time, adding that the airline also operated deportation flights under the Biden administration. 

‘We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,’ Levy said in a statement. 

‘After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 Crewmembers employed for years to come.’

Avelo said it had made several changes over the past few years to its West Coast operations but they did not produce the results necessary to continue presence there.

Commercial flights to west coast locations are no longer available to buy on the Avelo website.  

The Daily Mail has contacted Avelo for clarity on when commercial listings were dropped, and more information on the DHS operations. 

Boycott Avelo Airlines!

Airline that deports ICE detainees suspends west coast operation
Texas-based budget carrier Avelo Airlines said this week that it will close down its west coast operations at Hollywood Burbank Airport as it struggles financially.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14910985/west-coast-avelo-airlines-suspended-pro-migrant-protests-ice.html

Boycott Avelo Airlines!

Popular Information: Trump manufactures a crisis in LA

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For years, President Trump has dreamed of mobilizing the military against protesters in the United States. On Saturday night, Trump made it a reality, ordering the deployment of 2,000 members of the California National Guard — against the wishes of state and local officials — in response to protests against federal immigration raids on workplaces in and around Los Angeles. By the time Trump issued the order, the protests consisted of a few dozen people at a Home Depot.

The move violated longstanding democratic norms that prohibit military deployment on American soil absent extraordinary circumstances. The last time the National Guard was mobilized absent a request from local officials was in 1965 — to protect civil rights protesters in Alabama marching from Selma to Montgomery.

Trump strongly advocated for using the military to quell racial justice protests in the summer of 2020. He encouraged governors to deploy the National Guard to “dominate” the streets. “If a city or state refuses to take the actions necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them,” Trump said.

Behind the scenes, Trump was even more ruthless. According to a 2022 memoir by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Trump asked Esper if the military could shoot at people protesting George Floyd’s murder. “Can’t you just shoot them?” Trump allegedly asked. “Just shoot them in the legs or something?”

On another occasion that summer, according to a book by journalist Michael Bender, Trump announced that he was putting Army General Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in charge of quelling the protests. This reportedly led to a shouting match:

“I said you’re in f—ing charge!” Trump shouted at him.

“Well, I’m not in charge!” Milley yelled back.

“You can’t f—ing talk to me like that!” Trump said. …

“Goddamnit,” Milley said to others. “There’s a room full of lawyers here. Will someone inform him of my legal responsibilities?”

The lawyers, including Attorney General Bill Barr, sided with Milley, and Trump’s demand was tabled. (Trump called Bender’s book “fake news.”)

During a March 2023 campaign rally in Iowa, Trump pledged to deploy the National Guard in states and cities run by Democrats, specifically mentioning Los Angeles:

You look at these great cities, Los Angeles, San Francisco, you look at what’s happening to our country, we cannot let it happen any longer… you’re supposed to not be involved in that, you just have to be asked by the governor or the mayor to come in, the next time, I’m not waiting. One of the things I did was let them run it, and we’re going to show how bad a job they do. Well, we did that. We don’t have to wait any longer.

In October 2023, the Washington Post reported that Trump allies were mapping out executive actions “to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrations.”

In an October 2024 interview on Fox News, Trump again pushed for the National Guard and military to be deployed against “the enemy within,” which he described as “radical left lunatics.”

“We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics,” Trump said. “And I think they’re the big — and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen.”

Were there “violent mobs”?

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard was necessary because “violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the National Guard would “support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles” in response to “violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement.”

These claims were directly contradicted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), which described Saturday’s protests as “peaceful.”

The LAPD statement said it “appreciates the cooperation of organizers, participants, and community partners who helped ensure public safety throughout the day.”

There were some reports of violence and property damage in Paramount and Compton, two cities located about 20 miles south of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it “arrested one person over the protest in Paramount” and “two officers had been treated at a local hospital for injuries and released.” As for property damage, “one car had been burned and a fire at a local strip mall had been extinguished.”

Trump’s order, however, says the unrest in California is so severe it constitutes “a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States” that necessitates the mobilization of military personnel. Although any violence and property destruction is a serious matter, local law enforcement appears fully capable of responding to the situation.

Trump’s Unusual Legal Theory

The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits using the military for domestic law enforcement without specific statutory (or Constitutional) authority. The most famous exception to the Posse Comitatus Act is the Insurrection Act, which permits the President to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement under specific circumstances. But, historically, the Insurrection Act has “been reserved for extreme circumstances in which there are no other alternatives to maintain the peace.” It also requires the president to issue a proclamation ordering “the insurgents to disperse and retire peaceably to their abodes within a limited time.”

Trump, however, invoked a different federal law, 10 U.S.C. 12406. That provision lacks some of the legal and historical baggage of the Insurrection Act, but it also confers a more limited authority. That is why Trump’s proclamation authorizes the National Guard to “temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur.” In other words, the National Guard is not authorized to engage in law enforcement activities, but to protect others doing that work. It remains to be seen whether the administration will respect these limitations in practice.

Trump is Confused

At 2:41 a.m. on Sunday morning, Trump posted: “Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest.” At the time, the National Guard had not yet arrived in Los Angeles. Trump had spent the evening watching three hours of UFC fighting in New Jersey.

Trump also asserted, without evidence, that those protesting the immigration raids were “paid troublemakers.”

The National Guard arrived in Los Angeles much later on Sunday morning, when the streets were already quiet.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he did not consider the protests an “insurrection” yet. About an hour later, Trump claimed on Truth Social that “violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try to stop our deportation operations.”

Trump’s order mobilizing the National Guard, however, likely inflamed tensions — and that may have been the point. Federal and state authorities clashed with protesters in downtown LA on Sunday afternoon. Law enforcement “used smoke and pepper spray to disperse protesters outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Trump manufactures a crisis in LA
For years, President Trump has dreamed of mobilizing the military against protesters in the United States.

https://popular.info/p/trump-manufactures-a-crisis-in-la

ABC: Pentagon pulling 2,000 National Guard from ICE duty in LA

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The U.S. military presence in Los Angeles is being reduced by almost half as the Pentagon confirms that 2,000 California National Guard members are being withdrawn from the mission to protect federal buildings and personnel that followed protests of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles.

“Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding. As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen (79th [Infantry Brigade Combat Team]) from the federal protection mission,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement provided to ABC News.

Nearly 4,700 personnel had been provided to that mission with 700 of them being active-duty Marines and the remaining 4,000 coming from the California National Guard.

The initial deployment of 2,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles was announced on June 7.

At the time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media that he was prepared to send active-duty Marines “if violence continues.” Two days later, U.S. Northern Command announced that 700 Marines from Twentynine Palms in California were being deployed to Los Angeles.

An additional 2,000 National Guard members were later mobilized for the mission in Los Angeles.

Some of the Guard members later received specific training to provide perimeter security during ICE operations and were not carrying out law enforcement duties. However, they were authorized to temporarily detain individuals if needed and then quickly turn them over to law enforcement personnel.

LOL! Things were peaceful until King Donald butted in unnecessarily with the military.

Pentagon pulling 2,000 National Guard deployed to LA amid ICE protests
Pentagon confirms that 2,000 California National Guard members are being withdrawn from the mission to protect federal buildings and personnel that followed ICE protests.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pentagon-pulling-half-guard-members-deployed-la-support/story?id=123784553

The Hill: [Bimbo #2] Noem on blocked ICE operations ruling: Judges are ‘getting too political’

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem criticized a ruling from a federal judge that bars the Trump administration from using “unconstitutional” immigration enforcement efforts in parts of California, saying judges are “getting political” and that it is “not their job.”

During an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” [Bimbo #2] Noem was asked about the Friday ruling from U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, an appointee of former President Biden. The order granted two temporary restraining orders preventing officials from targeting individuals for removal on the basis of race, language or employment and requiring the Department of Homeland Security to grant detainees access to legal counsel. 

“Well, this federal judge’s ruling is ridiculous. We never ran our operations that way,” [Bimbo #2] Noem said.

“We’ve seen this across the country over and over and over again, where judges are getting political. It’s not their job,” she added. “I hope they can bring some dignity back to the bench because we’re lacking it now for many of these federal judges.”

[Bimbo #2] Noem said the judge’s ruling is “wrong” and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not target individuals on the basis of race, language or employment, adding that they will win their case.

F*CK*NG LIAR!

“It’s been done exactly how law enforcement has operated for many years in this country, and ICE is out there making sure we get the worst off the streets,” she added. “So this judge made a decision that we will appeal and we will win, because he’s wrong. We’ve never targeted individuals based on those qualifications that he laid out.”

F*CK*NG LIAR!

Her statement follows a Fox News interview with President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, who said that federal immigration agents do not need probable cause to detain people for a short period and that agents can “just go through the observations, get articulable facts, based on their location, their occupation, their physical appearance, their actions.”

“People need to understand, ICE officers and Border Patrol don’t need probable cause to walk up to somebody, briefly detain them, and question them,” he said on “Fox & Friends” on Friday.

His statement comes weeks after protests in Los Angeles and surrounding areas erupted over an uptick in ICE raids.

Stupid sycophantic Trump suck-up!

Noem on blocked ICE operations ruling: Judges are ‘getting too political’

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5398727-noem-ice-operations-ruling

Daily Beast: Trump Declares War on Los Angeles Following ICE Protests

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The Trump administration has sued the City of Los Angeles for discriminating against federal immigration officers.

President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit Monday against Los Angeles, its mayor Karen Bass, and the Los Angeles City Council for “illegal” sanctuary city policies that it says “deliberately impede federal immigration officers’ ability to carry out their responsibilities.”

Two reasons why the feds will lose this one:

    1. Masked Gestapo pigs are not a protected class under the discrimination laws.

    2. The Tenth Amendent does not permit the federal government to order the states to do the feds’ bidding.

    Trump Declares War on Los Angeles Following ICE Protests
    The lawsuit claimed that the city discriminated against federal immigration officers using sanctuary city policies.

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-declares-war-on-los-angeles-following-ice-protests

    Knewz: Angelenos Left to Clean Up City After ICE Protests

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    Residents of Los Angeles are left to clean up the streets after the mayhem caused by the anti-ICE protests that rocked the city. Knewz.com has learned that Los Angeles erupted with protests after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out large-scale raids across the city and surrounding suburbs and reportedly arrested at least 44 undocumented individuals, many of whom were reportedly long-term residents without criminal records. 

    …

    Federal officers in tactical gear fired tear gas and other nonlethal weapons in Compton and Paramount on Saturday, June 7, with protesters responding by starting a series of small fires that left black char on the streets.

    …

    Residents of Los Angeles were left to clean the streets littered with tear gas pellets and other charred and broken detritus left after the altercation between protesters and the National Guard. 

    Angelenos Left to Clean Up City After ICE Protests
    Residents of Los Angeles are left to clean up the streets after the mayhem caused by the anti-ICE protests that rocked the city.

    https://knewz.com/angelenos-left-to-clean-up-city-after-ice-protests