Immigration protests in California and President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to quell them have set up a clash between the president and foe California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Sunday he would sue the federal government over the escalation.
Thousands of protesters were in L.A.’s streets on Sunday in response to the National Guard deployment, at one point blocking a freeway and setting self-driving cars ablaze. Law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to control the crowd, The Associated Press reported. As police declared protests in the city to be an unlawful assembly, crowds broke up Sunday evening.
It was the third day of protests after workplace raids began Friday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. … He’s putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard — an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act,” Newsom said on MSNBC on Sunday night.
“And we’re going to test that theory with a lawsuit tomorrow,” he added.
“Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” Trump wrote in a post on his social platform, Truth Social, shortly after midnight.
Trump spent Sunday at Camp David and will return from there Monday morning. He’s set to host an afternoon roundtable on investing in America at the White House.
Follow developments in Los Angeles and elsewhere here.
