Trump out of control sending the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles

Last week was crazy in the Los Angeles, California area when ICE agents and other federal agents conducted a series of raids in the Los Angeles County area.

Agents entered a clothing factory where they detained and arrested many people. They also showed up at other businesses where workers were gathering looking for work. The Los Angeles community, which is the largest Latino community in the United States, including my daughter who lives in Los Angeles, along with labor unions, community activists, and religious leaders, held protests against these actions.

The protests, which were 99% peaceful, were violently repelled by the agents, resulting in the arrest of many of the protesters, including the president of the SEIU union, one of the largest and strongest unions in the United States, Mr. David Huerta, who can be seen in videos being brutally attacked by some ICE agents and arrested.

There were some isolated cases of property damage, such as the burning of some cars (unoccupied), but in general, the protest by the people who went to the federal building in Los Angeles was peaceful and controlled by the Los Angeles police. However, this was not enough for Trump, who used the protests as an excuse to send in National Guard agents, who are generally under the control of each state, and requested the presence of 4,000 agents. This was an excessive and unnecessary reaction with the sole purpose of provoking the protesters and California authorities such as Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass. Trump even said that the governor should be arrested for criticizing the actions of ICE agents and calling for justice for immigrants.

Trump also sent 800 Marines from a base in Southern California when it was in no way necessary, as there were no deaths or serious problems. It seems that what he is seeking is to wage some kind of war against immigrants and their defenders. For Trump, it is the perfect excuse to exaggerate the situation, as the saying goes, by pouring gasoline on the fire in the hope of starting a mini-war to gain publicity and turn the public against immigrants.

Right now, the immigrant community is organizing in Los Angeles and other cities to form a nonviolent resistance, but we have to show Trump that we are not going to stand idly by while he arrests immigrants whose only crime is working without a permit.

We will continue to support immigrants by protesting against Trump's measures, as well as supporting politicians who have the courage to speak out in defense of immigrants, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, among other officials in Illinois and Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, who were also arrested a few days ago for insisting that congressional representatives investigate the conditions at a new detention center in that city.

Every day the situation is becoming more critical, and we will continue to support immigrants and oppose the racism and injustices of this government. Here in Michigan, we will also hold some protests, and we hope that the community will join us in a nonviolent manner in support of Cosecha and other pro-immigrant groups. This Saturday there will be a protest in downtown Grand Rapids to demonstrate against violence and racism and in favor of immigrants and justice.

We must not allow Trump to confuse the situation to create a war by blaming those who are fighting for justice. We all agree that what Trump and his collaborators are doing is not fair, and we must not allow him to continue trampling on the rights of the people.