DeLauro Statement on Los Angeles ICE Raids, National Guard Deployment

Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement in response to Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) led raids in Los Angeles over the weekend that led to civil unrest and prompted the Trump administration to override state authority and deploy the National Guard:

“All protests must be peaceful. Violence that harms community members, law enforcement, or property is unacceptable and undermines our ability to keep immigrant communities safe. I believe we must do everything we can to support law enforcement. We must stand with law enforcement to keep our communities safe – violence only drives us further from that goal.

“The Trump administration’s authoritarian crackdown is nothing more than political theater – an attempt to sow chaos and create false justifications for deploying armed troops into American neighborhoods. They want to destabilize communities and tear families apart. 

“President Trump’s takeover of the California National Guard and deployment of 2,000 soldiers into Los Angeles was a deliberate move to escalate tensions when local law enforcement had stated they did not require assistance. 

“Our immigration system is in crisis. The border is out of control, but that does not mean we abandon the rule of law. The Trump administration continues to deny due process rights and ignore the Constitution. They are expending resources targeting people who are working in our communities, preparing for high school graduations, and responsibly attending immigration court proceedings instead of focusing on the true problem – getting the border under control. We must have a secure, orderly border, but that mission must never come at the expense of the legal principles that made this country great. We can strengthen border security and manage immigration effectively without sacrificing the rule of law.”