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A group of mayors from across the Los Angeles region joined together Wednesday to demand the Trump administration stop federal immigration raids that they say have spread fear throughout their communities.
More than 30 mayors from the region stood with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass at a news conference denouncing the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to the city.
Bass accused the White House of “provoking” the protests and riots, suggesting Los Angeles “was part of an experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a local jurisdiction, and frankly leaving our city, and our citizens, our residents in fear.”
President Donald Trump, however, posted Thursday morning on the Truth Social platform that Los Angeles “would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years” if he had not sent in the military.
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“Los Angeles was safe and sound for the last two nights,” Trump wrote. “Our great National Guard, with a little help from the Marines, put the L.A. Police in a position to effectively do their job. They all worked well together, but without the Military, Los Angeles would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years.”
Trump again blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying the Democrat “had totally lost control of the situation.”
Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores, a Marine Corps veteran, said during the news conference that the militarization of immigration enforcement has “no place in our neighborhoods” and further called the deployment of Marines on U.S. soil an “alarming escalation.”
“As mayors across this region, we stand united in rejecting fear-based tactics that target immigrant communities and erode public trust,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman told The Associated Press that some 2,000 National Guard soldiers are in Los Angeles and will soon be joined by 2,000 more, along with about 700 Marines.
“We are expecting a ramp-up,” Sherman said, noting that protests across the nation were being discussed. “I’m focused right here in LA, what’s going on right here. But you know, I think we’re, we’re very concerned.”
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Meanwhile, Downtown Los Angeles remains under a curfew.
Los Angeles police have made nearly 400 arrests and detentions since Saturday, the vast majority of which were for failing to disperse, according to the police department. A handful of more serious charges have included assault against police officers, possession of a Molotov cocktail and possession of a gun.
Nine police officers have been hurt, mostly with minor injuries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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