President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on his claim that California Gov. Gavin Newsom should be arrested for his response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, saying his crime is “running for governor.”
“What crime has Gov. Newsom committed,” a reporter asked Trump during an unrelated event at the White House, “to warrant his arrest?”
“I think his primary crime is running for governor,” Trump responded. “Because he’s done such a bad job.”
Protesters on Friday began demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, after federal immigration authorities conducted raids to detain undocumented immigrants.
Since Friday, demonstrators have been protesting, mostly in downtown Los Angeles, against federal immigration officials who conducted raids on undocumented immigrants in the city. Law enforcement at times cracked down on protesters violently, teargassing, beating, and using flash grenades on people as they attempted to disperse the crowds. While the protests have been largely peaceful, some people launched fireworks, set cars on fire, and fought with law enforcement.
That same evening, Trump ordered the National Guard to LA to disperse protests. He is testing the limits of the law by working around Newsom, the Democratic governor, to deploy the National Guard troops. It’s the first time in 60 years that a president has deployed a state’s National Guard without the approval of local officials. Trump cited Title 10 of the U.S. code which allows him to call the troops under federal control. It can be used only during certain circumstances, such as if the U.S. is invaded, if the president can’t execute the law, or there is a rebellion — a condition Trump claims the unrest in LA satisfies.
Many legal scholars believe the LA protests do not meet the definition of rebellion. But the scope of Trump’s authority will be tested in court — California is suing the Trump administration for issuing the order. The president responded by saying he would support arresting Newsom, alleging he purposely obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts.
“What he’s done to that state is like what [President Joe] Biden did to this country. And that’s pretty bad. It’s the wrong philosophy. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, of illegal immigrants, many of them prisoners, are taking up your health care,” Trump said, repeating false claims. “They’re taking up your space in schools. They’re taking up your hospital. And, in many cases, they’re criminals. And we have to do something about it.”
