A masked protester confronts the National Guard. AP.
The National Guard has deployed to Los Angeles to respond to anti-immigration enforcement riots. AP. Protests and riots started on Friday and targeted Federal office buildings where recent deportees were held. Rioters blocked highways and tried to gain entrance to the building but were turned back by federal and LAPD forces. President Trump deployed both federal agents and the National Guard, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom, because he said that the Democrats in charge of California were failing to stop the rioting. Trump also threatened to charge Democrat officials that work against deportations or encourage violence. If the riots are not quelled, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that the United States Marines might be deployed as well.
Viral photo of the riots. Attribution unknown.
My Comment:
The AP article downplayed the fact that many of these rioters are flying the flag of Mexico or other foreign countries. That's why I included the 2nd image that has gone viral of a man riding a motorcycle while flying the Mexican flag, which has been emblematic of the entire riot. And also, note that the article mostly describes the situation as protests against immigration enforcement, not the actual riots.
These riots are insane. I have little doubt that a Democratic aligned NGO is behind the funding for it and that these riots are in no way organic. Very few people are actually upset by immigration enforcement and the general vibe for the country remains "send them all back". Even most Hispanics are supportive of deportation and immigration enforcement.
It's another 80/20 issue that the Democrats are on the wrong side of and it's shocking to see them defend the rioters in anyway. The smart thing would be to back away from illegal immigration, the same way they appear to be backing away from the Transgender issue. But instead they are doubling down and doing so in a way that is going to infuriate millions of Americans. Even Gavin Newsom, who is considered a front runner, is fumbling the issue.
I do think that this is the correct response to these riots. One of the bigger criticisms I had for Trump during his 1st term was not coming down with the hammer of the gods on the George Floyd riots back in 2020. The one thing America should not have to suffer is another "summer of love" over an even stupider cause. Seriously, they are rioting because illegal immigrants are getting deported. How can we tolerate that?
The good news for this is that folks are getting a reality check. Last week was dominated by the Elon Musk and Donald Trump fight. On the surface that fight was about the "Big Beautiful Bill" that would supply billions for deportation but might increase the debt because it doesn't raise taxes. This weekend showed why that money is necessary. It's a very strong argument for Donald Trump's position on the bill and I am guessing the Musk/libertarian/fiscal hawk objections should be ignored now.
Is this going to be how the summer of 2025 is going to go? I hope not. I really don't want to see riots like we had in 2020. My gut says this is different as like I said, immigration enforcement is extremely popular and very few people are going to be sympathetic for these kinds of rioters. Still, nothing else the Democratic Party has done since Trump got elected has worked at all, so they might double down on another failed policy.
They would be unwise to do so. Everything I have seen online has been, well, sort of scary. I know that X isn't a representative sample, but there are more than a few people that want to stack up and go to war if it means ending these riots. I do think that folks are at the limit of what they are willing to accept and I think the Democrats are pushing in the wrong direction. They would be wise to change course.
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