Trump continues to escalate at La protests

In response to protests against US migration policy in Los Angeles, President Donald Trump relies on further escalation. The US Department of Defense mobilized 2,000 additional soldiers from the National Guard for the use in the western coast metropolis and 700 marine fans of the regular armed forces. Trump had already had 2,000 national guards mobilized in a highly unusual and controversial step at the weekend. The Republican breaks legal and political taboos with his approach.

The democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, accused Trump « abuse of power » and spoke of « disturbed » fantasies of a « dictatorial president ». The US government exceeds a red line. California has already filed a lawsuit against Trump’s decision to take control of the California National Guard without the consent of the state. Newsom announced that he will also go to California against the posting of regular soldiers.

Posting of regular armed forces is drastic escalation

Soldiers are trained for military missions and the war, not for police tasks such as control of protests in American city centers. The fact that Trump sends members of the regular armed forces is a drastic escalation and power demonstration – as well as his decision to use national guards against the will of the responsible governor.

The National Guard is a military reserve unit and part of the US armed forces. In the United States, each state has its own national guard, which can be used in natural disasters, unrest or emergencies inside. Normally, the states have control over their national guards. If there is a war or national emergencies, the US President can take command. However, observers see the situation in LA far away. Since 1965, no US President has taken over the national guard of a state against its will.

Even on Monday, hundreds demonstrated in Los Angeles

The protests in Los Angeles against Trump’s migration course continued, but initially to be manageable. On Monday afternoon local time, hundreds of people again demonstrated in front of a federal building in downtown LA against the Migration policy of the US government. The protests were initially peaceful, as a reporter from the German Press Agency observed. The demonstrators shouted slogans and bore signs that were directed against the procedure of the immigration authority ICE in the Los Angeles area. The police later started to push back the demonstrators and to clear streets around the building.

Individual demonstrators threw water bottles, whereupon the police reacted with the firing of rubber floors. Officials called protesters to leave the area and go home. One of the police officers said: « It’s chaotic, but we have it under control. »

What triggered the demonstrations in LA

The protests are directed against Trump’s hard immigration policy and the use of ICE units in residential areas. Increased operations by the immigration authority had triggered the first protests in the Los Angeles area at the end of last week. According to the raids, dozens of people were arrested, including, according to the Newsom office, minors were apparently arrested. Critics accuse Trump’s government to specifically stir up fear with martial measures.

US Minister of Homeland Protection Kristi Noem emphasized the Fox News broadcaster that ICE employees – with the support of the National Guard – implemented exactly what Trump promised. The Republican had made an election campaign with the promise to start the biggest deportation program in American history.

How the government justifies its procedure

The US government argues that the drastic reaction to the protests in LA is about preventing and suffocating the protests in the bud. Tom Homan, who has the supervision of Trump’s deportation policy, praised Trump’s decision to send soldiers to Los Angeles. The President acts forward -looking and make sure that there is enough resources to protect life and property, Homan told CNN.

After Pentagon presentation, the additional 2,000 national guards should support the ICE immigration authority and to enable federal employees to « safely » perform their tasks. According to the latest military information, there are currently around 1,700 national guards in the Los Angeles area.

The approximately 700 marine fans of the regular armed forces are intended to support the forces of the National Guard to protect federal employees and ownership, explained the responsible regional command of the military. The soldiers are trained in de -escalation, the control of crowds of people and the rules for the use of violence.

How the governor assesses the situation on site

Newsom criticized the mobilization of other soldiers. The Democrat described the step on platform X as « un -American ». Marinein fans should « not be used on the American soil where they face their own compatriots to fulfill the disturbed imagination of a dictatorial president ».

Newsom accused the US government that it is not about public security. « It’s about stroking the ego of a dangerous president. » He described the announcement to mobilize another 2,000 national guards as reckless and senselessly « and disrespectful towards our troops ». The first 2,000 national guards would have not received any food or water. « Only about 300 are in use – the rest sits unused in federal buildings without having any commands. »

Trump verbally did not set up on Monday

The mobilization of thousands of other soldiers is in contrast to statements that Trump made shortly before the posting of the 700 marine fountains. At a press conference, he did not want to rule out their use on request. On Monday afternoon (local time), however, he claimed that the National Guard had de -escalated the situation in the metropolis on the west coast of the USA and prevented worse things. « It is still a bit simmer, but not very strong, » he said at that time about the protests. He did not want a « civil war », he replied to a question of a journalist.