Prominent Democratic leaders, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have strongly criticized President Trump for his handling of immigration protests in Los Angeles.
According to CCTV News, on June 8, former Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement condemning the Trump administration's response to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying she was "shocked" by the developments.
In a social media post, Harris stated: "Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos." She described the deployment, along with recent immigration raids across Southern California and the US, as "part of the Trump administration's cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division." Harris also emphasized that the protests were "overwhelmingly peaceful."
California Governor Gavin Newsom, on the afternoon of June 8, signed a formal request to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to withdraw National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles without state authorization. He demanded that command of the California National Guard be returned to the state government and stated that troops should only be deployed when absolutely necessary.
In a social media post, Newsom wrote: "I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command." He also accused Trump of exacerbating tensions in the region.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also criticized the federal government, stating on social media that deploying the National Guard in the wake of immigration enforcement raids that sparked unrest would only worsen the chaos.
By midday on June 8, protests outside federal law enforcement offices in downtown Los Angeles escalated into violent clashes. According to Xinhua News Agency, US National Guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, but the crowd grew from a few dozen to over 1,000.
Xinhua reporters covering the scene sustained injuries during the clashes: one reporter was struck by a tear gas canister and a projectile, while a photographer suffered bleeding injuries from a rubber bullet to the leg.
On June 6 and 7, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies conducted large-scale immigration enforcement operations across Los Angeles County. These raids led to severe confrontations with local community members.
On June 7, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum authorizing the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without a formal request from Governor Newsom. The US military confirmed on June 8 that 300 National Guard personnel had already entered the Los Angeles area. Legal experts noted that this is the first time since 1965 that a president has deployed National Guard troops to a state without the governor's request.
Related News:
Los Angeles in turmoil: Immigration protests escalate into clashes with US national guard
Escalation of police-civilian conflict in Los Angeles: Trump bans protesters from wearing masks
Comment