President Trump has ordered the deployment of ICE tactical units to five Democrat-controlled cities as violent protests continue to ravage Los Angeles, forcing Mayor Karen Bass to impose an indefinite curfew from 8pm to 6am.
The military-style immigration enforcement units will target New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and northern Virginia, according to reports.
Four of these locations represent heavily Democratic strongholds, while northern Virginia includes the Democrat enclave of Alexandria.
The ICE operations have triggered widespread demonstrations that brought Los Angeles to a standstill, prompting city officials to implement emergency lockdown measures in the downtown core.
This comes as California leadership faces major backlash.
The state’s first lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom, for example, was photographed visiting a high-end Beverly Hills wellness complex on Monday as widespread protests continued.
The 50-year-old documentary filmmaker appeared at One Beverly Hills, an upscale spa and wellness facility located in one of the city’s most exclusive areas.
She wore expensive sneakers valued at $500 and carried a designer tote bag worth $2,500, accompanied by a security detail.
Representatives for Siebel Newsom disputed characterizations of the visit as inappropriate timing, the Daily Mail reported.
A spokesperson told media outlets that the First Partner was not receiving spa treatments but was purchasing skincare products due to a previous skin cancer diagnosis she disclosed in 2023.
The Beverly Hills outing occurred as President Donald Trump deployed military forces to address ongoing civil unrest in Los Angeles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered an emotional televised address Tuesday night, appearing to tear up while warning that Trump’s actions represent a threat to democracy nationwide.
The governor accused the Trump administration of taking unprecedented steps that could affect every state.
“Look, this isn’t just about protests here in Los Angeles, when Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard. He made that order apply to every state in this nation,” Newsom said during his address.
“This is about all of us. This is about you. California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes, this moment we have feared has arrived.”
The governor characterized Trump’s actions as an assault on the constitutional framework of three co-equal branches of government, claiming the president was destroying the founding fathers’ vision for America.
While Newsom spoke to cameras, President Trump addressed military personnel at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he defended his decision to deploy soldiers against what he termed “animals” and “foreign enemies” protesting ICE arrests in Los Angeles.
Trump described the situation in California as a direct threat to national security and public order.
“What you’re witnessing in California is a full blown assault on peace, on public order and national sovereignty… with the aim of continuing a foreign invasion of our country. We’re not gonna let that happen,” he declared.
The president characterized the protesters as foreign adversaries attempting to conquer American territory.
“We will not allow an American city to be invaded and conquered by a foreign enemy. That’s what they are,” Trump stated during his remarks.
The Daily Mail reported that Trump painted a dire picture of Los Angeles, calling it “a trash heap” with “entire neighborhoods under control” of criminals.
He pledged to use all available government resources to restore order and eliminate the violence plaguing the city.
“We will liberate Los Angeles and make it free, clean and safe again,” the president promised during his speech to military personnel celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary.
Governor Newsom issued stark warnings about the precedent being set by federal intervention, suggesting authoritarian tactics were being employed against vulnerable populations.
“Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves, but they do not stop there,” Newsom cautioned.
The California governor accused Trump of systematically dismantling government oversight mechanisms and waging war against cultural institutions, historical records, scientific research and knowledge itself.
He claimed government databases were disappearing under the current administration.
