California officials blamed President Donald Trump on Monday for escalating tensions in Los Angeles by deploying National Guard troops, while the White House defended the move, citing violent protests to justify intensifying deportation efforts.
Trump even suggested that California Governor Gavin Newsom be arrested.
As the city faced a fourth day of protests over Trump’s immigration policies, Democrats and Republicans clashed over what has become the biggest flashpoint in the Republican administration’s aggressive efforts to deport migrants who are in the country illegally.
Earlier in the day, Newsom, viewed as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028, vowed to sue the federal government over its deployment of the Guard, calling it unlawful.
“This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted. He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalise the National Guard,” Newsom posted on X on Monday. “We’re suing him.”
‘Danger Of Rebellion’
Federal law allows the president to deploy the Guard if the nation is invaded, if there is “rebellion or danger of rebellion,” or if the president is “unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”
Returning to the White House after a night at Camp David, Trump was asked by a reporter whether his border czar, Tom Homan, should arrest Newsom. Homan has threatened to arrest anyone who obstructs immigration enforcement efforts, including the governor.
“I would do it if I were Tom. I think it’s great,” Trump replied. “Gavin likes the publicity, but I think it would be a great thing.”
The streets were calm early on Monday after protests erupted on Friday when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeted several locations in the city for sweeps as part of the administration’s efforts to arrest migrants. The demonstrations continued over the weekend, resulting in a large police response.
The White House contended the protests were a further reason for Republicans in Congress to pass Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” that would increase border security and military spending.
The bill, now in the U.S. Senate after clearing the U.S. House of Representatives, would also slash taxes, cut Medicaid benefits and do away with green-energy initiatives.
“We need the One Big, Beautiful Bill to pass ASAP!” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.
Fiscal conservatives in the Senate, along with former Trump adviser Elon Musk, have balked at the bill’s cost, saying it will inflate the nation’s budget deficit.
Clash Raises Newsom’s Profile
Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, setting the ICE border enforcement agency a daily goal of arresting at least 3,000 migrants.
For Democrats, lacking leadership since Trump won the presidential election last November, the Los Angeles protests have served as a rallying point, allowing them to find some political footing while standing up to the administration’s policies.
The episode has provided Newsom, serving his second term as governor, with a national platform that has allowed him to portray himself as Trump’s chief antagonist.
(With inputs from Reuters)
