Political leaders representing Los Angeles County and other jurisdictions across California asked President Donald Trump on Monday, June 9, to put an end to federal immigration action in and around the L.A. area.
Representatives from the California State Assembly, including Speaker Robert Rivas and Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, D-Inglewood, said the administration’s federalizing of the National Guard in L.A., among other recent actions, are unconstitutional.
“What we are seeing — raids without coordination, a federalized National Guard, fear tactics aimed at our immigrants,” Rivas said Monday, “this is pulled straight from a fascist playbook. We cannot give Trump what he wants. We’re not going to allow our state to become a stage for political violence.”
The Monday press conference followed three days of rising tensions in Los Angeles, as thousands of demonstrators continue confronting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the region.
Federal authorities followed multiple immigration raids around Los Angeles on Friday, June 6, with another action on Saturday — this time gathering in a Home Depot parking lot in Paramount.
Following ICE clashes with protestors in Paramount, Trump announced he would deploy around 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said.
That news was met with an even larger response from protestors. More than 1,000 people shut down the 101 Freeway on Saturday, June 7. Video on social media showed California National Guard troops with riot shields pushing protestors into the streets, as well as tear gas being deployed and less-than-lethal rounds exploding in the roadway.
Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard has been met with sharp criticism — including in a joint statement from every Democratic governor in the entire country, which called the decision “an alarming abuse of power.”
That message was underscored during Monday’s press conference, with state leaders saying Trump’s actions are intended to sow political violence and create a narrative that Los Angeles leaders and law enforcement are incapable of safely managing the demonstrations across the region.
“To be clear, there’s no federal emergency in Los Angeles. Gov. (Gavin) Newsom, (LA County) Sheriff (Robert) Luna, LA Mayor (Karen) Bass and LAPD (Capt. Jim) McDonald are fully capable of maintaining peace in LA County, and they are doing so,” McKinnor said. “Mr. President — stand down the use of any federalized National Guard troops in LA County.”
Several political leaders also urged protestors to continue demonstrating peacefully — while disavowing any violent protest.
Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, whose 54th District includes Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Westlake, Downtown LA, Montebello and Commerce, emphasized the importance of keeping protests peaceful on Monday.
“Donald Trump is baiting us into a trap. He is provoking unrest in our streets so he can point to the cameras, twist the headlines and justify his crackdown,” Gonzalez said. “We have every right to protest, and we will continue to do so boldly and peacefully — but we will not meet cruelty with chaos. We will not trade justice for destruction, and we will not allow a few agitators to hijack the righteous calls of our communities.”
During the weekend protests, including on Sunday in Downtown LA, several cars were set on fire, the freeway was shut down by protestors, and some demonstrators threw items at law enforcement.
“Let us be absolutely clear: when people throw rocks at officers, when cars are lit on fire, when our freeways are turned into battle zones, that’s not protest, that is a sabotage,” Gonzalez said. “Whether it comes from the far-right or the reckless opportunist, it plays right in to Donald Trump’s hands. Those aren’t acts of resistance. Those are gifts to authoritarianism.”
Several politicians on Monday also raised questions about the ongoing ICE raids in the LA-area, saying that the federal government is violating constitutional due process rights.
“Once people are arrested, where are they going? Where are their due rights? Where are the women going? Are they being disappeared? Do we know? Are we asking these questions?” said Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva. “Because the United States is based on our constitution — every act that we see coming down from this federal administration is unconstitutional.”
As of Monday morning, Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding the president’s federalization of the National Guard — arguing that it was an illegal and unwarranted action.
“Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,” Newsom said in a statement. “It is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism. We will not let this stand.”
Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense are listed on the lawsuit, according to an announcement from Newsom’s office.