The raids on immigrant communities have intensified in the United States for respective months. Nowhere can you see it better than California, where the country's largest number of Hispanics live. Over 2 million of them work in black – in fields in the mediate of the state, in ubiquitous Mexican restaurants, car washes or massage parlors. ICE (Immigration and Customs Forcement) representatives are now appearing everywhere and arrest anyone who does not have the required documents.
ICE agents even appear in courts where people effort to regulate their immigration status. They will besides deport those who have worked in America for many years, paying taxes, raising children or grandchildren. These children and grandchildren, citizens of the United States, cannot be pleased that their grandfather, grandmother, uncle or aunt abruptly vanish from their lives.
The city of Los Angeles, where nearly half the inhabitants have Latin roots, decided that the measurement had changed.
Last weekend, 7 to 8 June, mass protests broke out. Most of them were peaceful, but they did not do without graffiti on buildings and torched cars. At the protests, activists, youths dressed as carnivals (Mexican death masks or nails with the letters "fuck ICE") but juvenile bandits who are just waiting to face the police. Protesters carried posters with inscriptions specified as “ICE melts” (Ice melts), “No 1 is illegal” or “My parents fought for my future, now I am fighting for their future”.
Victoriano L., who yet refused to give his name, was 1 of the protesters who were beaten by the police. "I reported my injuries to the American civilian Liberty Union (ACLU) branch in confederate California, and for now I'm leaving town," he said on Wednesday, June 12.
"The protest was peaceful for respective hours," writes an email wishing to stay anonymous to the primary school teacher who protested under the main prison in the city centre. "When gas and rubber bullets appeared, the atmosphere started heating up".
Marianna Gatto, manager of the Italian-American museum in Los Angeles, was on a journey and returned to town on Sunday, June 8, before the highways leading to it were closed. “There is fear in the city,” he says. I've lived here my full life and haven't felt this fear since the pandemic broke out. Many shops are closed [or killed with boards], people fire fireworks that are hard to separate from the real explosions, there are besides cases of real vandalism. Protests are important, but any activists clearly do not know how to protest.
In consequence to the protests, the Trump administration sent the National defender to the city centre without approval from California politician Gavin Newsom and then even American Marines. At the moment, the marine infantry not only defends public buildings, but besides gives cover to ICE agents who do not interrupt arrests despite the appeals of the politician and California mayors.
The newsman, who will most likely be moving for president in 2028, not only announced that president Trump had deliberately sent troops to incite protests, but besides sued the administration for breaking the law. (In theory, the politician must agree to the presence of the Guard, not to mention the army). After a brief break into the Wednesday curfew in Los Angeles, protesters returned to the streets after ICE agents again made arrests at 3 different points of the city.
Meanwhile, protests spread to another cities – from fresh York City and Chicago to Seattle, where dozens are already arrested. On Thursday in LA, the FBI handcuffed and threw Senator Alex Padilla on the ground erstwhile he tried to ask a question at a press conference Kristi Noah, Head of the Department of Homeland Security, who besides commands the ICE forces. "They put their hands on a U.S. Senator," declared Democratic leader in legislature Chuck Schumer and demanded explanations.
– This week we witnessed raids and attacks on protesters," said ACLU's director. – But the attack on the most crucial Latin leader [in Congress] well illustrates that the government acts like a bunch of autocrats and allows itself to grow.
In addition to protests on the streets, there is simply a political push between the Republican administration and the Democrats in legislature who called for questioning Secretary of defence Pete Hegseth, questioning the presence of marines in the streets of American cities.
The president has the right to send troops to the streets of cities in the event of an assault on a country or armed uprising. The fact that protesters in Los Angeles paraded with Mexican flags, the administration treats as a sign of an invasion of a abroad country, and whether there will be an insurrection – “we will wait, we will see”, Trump said.
Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of problem on the streets. Saturday, June 14, is Trump's birthday, and as a substance of fact, this day is besides the 250th anniversary of the formation of the American Army. A large military parade is planned; thousands of soldiers will march down Washington streets, tanks will roll, helicopters will roar over their heads, and fireworks will light up the sky. The opposition is planning a "No Kings" protest for the day. 1500 cities will participate and this will be the largest national protest since Trump's presidency began.
This does not bode well, especially since 79-year-old Trump announced that the opposition would be home on Saturday or there would be trouble. A parade that is no longer known whether to honor American armed forces or celebrate the president's birthday will cost $45 million.
Cities like Los Angeles or fresh York until late were arrogant of being asylums for immigrants – who did not commit any crime was not disturbed by the municipal authorities. But now comes a time of large change. It will be a blow to this America, which has been surviving and utilizing the work of immigrants coming here without the required papers, due to the fact that these people – in fields, on dishwashers and in the construction sector – have no place to replace.
Government action shows that Trump America is turning distant from traditions symbolized by the Statue of Liberty, which for decades welcomed immigrants arriving on ships. The inscription on the fresh York statue reads: “Bring me your tired, your poor, your crowded masses to breathe freely.” They – immigrants – built America, from Donald Trump's family, who came from Germany, to Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa and experienced the naturalization process himself.
On Thursday, June 12, a national justice challenged Trump's decision to bring the National defender and the Army to Los Angeles. That same night, that ruling was blocked in the court of appeal. The minute we print this text, nothing, even the opposition of the politician of California, is able to argue the president who sent the military against the people.
