As the world grapples with crises over geopolitical tensions in various countries, be it India-Pakistan, Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine; United States is embroiled in a rather unpleasant situation due to its internal conflicts and civil unrest. Donald Trump, the fiery President of the world’s most powerful nation has been on a mission to engage himself in drastic moves and undertake measures that leave the people around flabbergasted.
Los Angeles, California, one of the most populated and uptown states of the United States has seen major upheaval in the recent few days. The local residents in Los Angeles have taken to the streets in growing numbers to stage protests following the administration’s latest crackdown on immigrants, which includes large-scale workplace raids and fast-tracking deportation orders. The heavy military presence has created widespread tension, with many residents expressing concern over what they describe as a militarized response to civilian disagreement.
Protests were also held in Austin, Texas, in solidarity with the LA demonstrators denouncing Trump’s anti-immigration raids. LA protestors also set off fireworks during an intense face-off with the local police forces. These protests began on June 6, and as the fourth day of unrest and chaos continues, the Trump-led Republican cabinet has decided to undertake stern measures to control the growing dystopic condition.
Deployment of 700 marine forces has been ordered in Los Angeles, described as a temporary effort, intended to support the National Guard forces already on the ground. Meanwhile, as a mark of retaliation, California has sued the Trump administration, calling the federal deployment unlawful. The US military will deploy a large number in a bid to bolster security amid violent protests against President Donald Trump. The number of National Guard members is expected to rise to more than 4,000 by mid-week after the Trump administration ordered an additional deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops.
As tensions flare up further with each passing day, ordering more troops to combat the civil unrest is the only plausible measure Trump can administer, considering the mayhem may not settle down so quickly. This is one of the most significant military responses to domestic unrest since the protests erupted nationwide.
About 300 California National Guards were first deployed on Sunday, June 8. The arrival of those forces under federal authority drew severe backlash from state leaders. The National Guard is jointly controlled by the US federal government and the state governments. The state of California led by its governor has sued US President Donald Trump and termed the entire fiasco of deploying miliary forces as unlawful, and blatant misuse of power. Such a cohesive act undermines a state’s sovereignty, with California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom stating he received no official communication prior to deploying additional guards in lieu of the protests. He cited Trump taking steps that resemble ‘acts of a dictator’ and further alleged that such a move was unconstitutional and escalated tensions further.
As one would anticipate, Donald Trump has openly defended his move and asserted that the city of California may have been completely obliterated had the National Guards not arrived to control the on-ground situation. The pandemonium created since the last few days on the streets on California depicts the volatility of the situation, and how the federal policies are being uprooted to make way for some radical changes being brought in by the much-criticized Trump administration.
Helene Elliott is the senior reporter for News Raise. She covers Science news. She also has a keen interest in photojournalism. Helene holds a nomination for the prestigious Red Smith Award. She is married to author Dennis D’Agostino, a former publicist with the New York Mets.
