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Protests against immigration raids in LA (Image credits: AP)
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the federal government would intervene in response to ongoing protests in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids, accusing local officials of failing to maintain order.
“If governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs… the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!” he posted on Truth Social.
Tensions flared for a second straight day in southern Los Angeles as immigration enforcement operations sparked protests, street clashes, and arrests. Tear gas and smoke filled the air Saturday in the suburb of Paramount, where border patrol agents in riot gear confronted demonstrators angered by federal immigration raids.Protesters gathered near a Home Depot being used as a staging area by immigration agents, chanting slogans like “ICE out of Paramount” and “Set them free, let them stay.” Some waved Mexican flags, while others set fire to a US flag. Makeshift roadblocks of shopping carts and cement blocks were erected, and protesters attempted to block federal vehicles. A US marshals service bus was swarmed, prompting highway ramps to be shut down.
Border patrol agents responded with tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and a strong security presence. Officers in gas masks guarded the area as smoke from burning refuse and shrubbery drifted across closed boulevards.The enforcement actions are part of Trump’s broader crackdown on undocumented immigration. Securing re-election on a strict immigration agenda, has described undocumented migrants as “monsters” and “animals.”Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem warned protestors not to obstruct law enforcement, vowing prosecution. ICE officials confirmed 118 arrests during the raids, including union leader David Huerta. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded Huerta’s release, calling it part of a “disturbing pattern” of suppressing free speech.
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