Trump vs. California: Clash Over Immigration Policy
At present, a significant constitutional crisis is unfolding in the Los Angeles, United States. Along with it, Donald Trump wants stern action to be taken against immigration crisis. A significant city in California. You must all be aware that in Los Angeles, swift action is being taken against immigration. And seeing this, the Governor of California has turned against Trump.
Understanding Federalism in the United States
And keep in mind that the kind of federalism in India is very different from the one you will see in America. That means that in the federal structure of America, the governor and the mayor of a state have much more power. And you can see this news: Trump deploys 2000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid growing anti-ICE protests.
In Los Angeles, Protests Break Out Over Immigration Raids
So let us understand what is happening in a little detail. For the last one or two days, you must have been hearing that a large number of protests are being held in Los Angeles, California. The writers have committed some arson.
Geopolitical Importance of California
First of all, let me tell you that it is in Los Angeles. Well, look at its location. If you look at the Western Coast of America, it is a very big state. This is the whole of California, and whenever elections take place in America, you must have often seen that the weightage of California is very high. So here in California, there is an important city called Los Angeles.
ICE Raids and Controversial Detentions Begin
So it is being told there that the Federal Department is there, keep in mind that when we talk about the Federal Department, we are basically talking about the Central Government. That means we are talking about the officials of the Trump Administration. Following June 6, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement began a continuous raid in Los Angeles. Meaning, they said that raids are being conducted on undocumented immigrants so that they can be caught and deported. They want to catch immigrants with a criminal background and send them out.
Allegations of Racial Profiling and Mass Arrests
But here, many reports started coming in, which it was told that a crackdown is being done deliberately on individuals who do not have any criminal history. Due to which, a lot of public outrage was seen. Well, here I will tell you where all the crackdowns were done by immigration officials. I mean, where are all the officials who come under Donald Trump, immigration officials, who carried out operations?
Locations Targeted in Raids
It is being reported that many shopping areas in Los Angeles, like Home Depot, small businesses, warehouses, and neighbourhoods around Los Angeles, were raided, and large-scale operations were conducted. I would like to tell you that a total of 118 people have been arrested so far. And the method of detention here is being told in some reports that mobile detention vehicles were brought in, where those people were loaded, and those people were detained.
Reports of Discriminatory Arrests
In fact, in some reports, it was also coming to light that based on the appearance of the people, that is, suppose the people here are Asian, then by looking at their appearance, an attempt was made to stop them in a way. They were detained. So, such reports have also come due to which people have become very angry. And that is why you have been seeing protests throughout Los Angeles for the last two days.
Widespread Protests and Riots Break Out
Here you can see that many immigrant rights groups, many students, and progressive organisations have started mobilising. And here, peaceful protests were held at many places. Outside the Los Angeles immigration field office, outside the City Hall, the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, the protesters raised many slogans like Abolish Ice, Let our people go, pay attention again and again, when I am saying this ice, the simple meaning of ice is Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which comes directly under Trump.
Violent Escalation on June 6
So basically here we were talking about Abolish Ice, then what happens is that on the night of June Sixth, the entire protest gets very escalated. The protesters started blocking many intersections. Many are said to have started throwing plastic bottles. Fireworks gradually started. Many vehicles were also set on fire. And many reports also said that many masked agitators also came onto the roads. They started throwing stones, glasses, and other such things. At some places, even the Molto cocktail, that is, the bottle that you use to start a fire, was being thrown here.
Police Response and Federal Criticism
So, this whole riot-like situation was being seen in the whole of Los Angeles for the last one or two days. Well, looking at all these things, the Los Angeles Police Department also issued a warning that you are conducting an unlawful assembly. But the federal government here, the federal government, that is, the Trump administration, felt that the Los Angeles Police Department was not acting strongly. It is not taking strict action against immigrants.
Deployment of National Guard Under Title 10
And looking at this, on 7th June, Donald Trump gave a direction that 2000 National Guard troops would be deployed. Keep in mind that National Guard troops means military, in simple language, the word used is army. By Donald Trump, and that is under Title 10 of the US Courts.
Controversial Use of Emergency Powers
Well, here I will tell you one thing about which there is a lot of controversy. What happens is that the National Guard, which is military, is the army; it acts as a hybrid entity, meaning the state government can also deploy it, and the federal government can also deploy it. What happens mostly is that the state government is consulted on deploying the National Guard, and the governor issues the order in some way. But what happened in this case? Donald Trump bypassed the governor of California. He did not consult him and used Title 10 USC 12406.
Legal Grounds for Federal Deployment
Now, the federal government has three options for deploying the National Guard. What exactly are each of these circumstances? If the United States is invaded. Second, if there is a threat of rebellion or a danger of rebellion, the National Guard can be deployed here, and if the President fails to manage with the regular forces or to do the work here with the regular forces, the National Guard can be deployed.
Trump’s Justification and Threats of Further Action
And somewhere you must be seeing here that Donald Trump tried to bypass the power of the Governor and used emergency power. Well, what is Trump’s justification for deploying these 2000 National Guard troops? Trump says that the Los Angeles police are not able to protect law and order, and the whole city of Los Angeles has gone into a state of chaos. Here, Trump has said that the National Guard will use its power and, in a way, improve the law and order again.
Threat of Deploying the Marines
And along with this, Donald Trump has given another threat that if the National Guard does not solve the issue, then the US Marines, which are a very dangerous force, will be deployed. Donald Trump has even said this.
Ongoing Clashes and Political Fallout
Well, if you see here, the National Guard troops have been deployed in many places in Los Angeles, and there are many federal offices and immigration offices. Tear gas, rubber bullets, flash banks, all these have been used so that the crowd can be dispersed. Given this, clashes were also seen at many places, due to which many people have been injured here. Be it protesters or enforcement officers.
State and Local Leaders Respond
But, there was going to be a big political fallout over this, and you can see that because of this, a whole crisis has erupted in America. The crisis is because the Governor of California is not happy with this decision of Donald Trump. He says that this is unconstitutional and provocative. Meaning, Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard by using emergency powers in this way. But still, he did it here without his consultation.
Governor and Mayor Condemn Trump’s Action
The Governor of California has made this allegation and has also accused Trump of exploiting immigration; he is trying to influence the election in some way or the other, and he is trying to do the things he promised in the election. Then, apart from this, the Mayor of Los Angeles, again, as I was telling you, the Mayor also has a lot of power. You can almost understand that the entire power to control the city is in the hands of the mayor.
Mayor Takes a Middle Ground
So the mayor, in a way, condemned both the raids conducted by immigration and the violent protests by the protesters and said that the communities deserve safety, not trauma, but violence is not the solution. So in a way, the mayor is trying to take a middle ground.
Context Behind the Protests
Well, in this, you will have to understand a little bit of context. You will see this protest quite different from before. Why? Why? Because here, first of all, the timing and location are such that a hot summer week is going on. You will get to see the school break. So there are a lot of young people, and because of this, large-scale mobilisation is being done easily by these people.
Los Angeles: A Sanctuary City Under Siege
And keep in mind that millions of migrants call Los Angeles home. There are reportedly over a million unauthorized residents. And because of this, if you look at it, Los Angeles has been declared a self-declared century city. I mean, what does the local police do? They do not cooperate directly with immigration officers unless they are told to do so. And the federal raid here ignored this. And it explains why there is so much rage here.
Legal Repercussions and Civil Society’s Response
Apart from this, the way militarisation has been done, that is, the way Donald Trump has mobilised troops here in Los Angeles, reminds us of things like this that were done in the past as well by Trump during his first term. And many immigrant rights lawyers are going to court to get this order of Trump revoked.
Fourth Amendment Concerns
The attorneys argue that Donald Trump has circumvented Fourth Amendment protections. People are being arrested. Videos are coming out where people are being arrested without warrants. You cannot arrest anyone without a warrant. But it is still being done. When a person is making a video of the immigration officer in front of him, a case is being filed against him. He is being arrested again.
Fears of Authoritarian Precedents
And the way Donald Trump deployed troops here, a dangerous president can set the stage for deploying the army in any state in the future. Let me tell you that the protesters have calmed down a bit. The reason for this is that, because of the way the military has been deployed, they are afraid that they will also be arrested.
Relief Efforts Begin
The National Guard troops have been gathered at different locations so that the Homeland Security offices here can be protected. And the Department of Homeland Security here has said that whatever raids we have to do, those operations will continue, and at the same time, the Los Angeles County and civil society groups have started providing legal aid and are providing food, shelter, and all these things to the families that have been affected.
Read More: https://hindiakhbarr.com/indus-water-treaty-chenab-river-water-to-be-diverted/
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