Three Key Points Following Historic and Dangerous Military Deployment of National Guard to Los Angeles

Access online version of this press release HERE

Washington, DC — Following this weekend’s historic and volatile military deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles — a deliberate provocation by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller — America’s Voice offers three key points to keep in mind (also see yesterday’s America’s Voice statement, “‘An Excuse to Deliberately Stoke Violence and Force Confrontations Around Immigration’ – America’s Voice Reacts to Trump Deployment of National Guard”).

The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice

“President Trump and Stephen Miller have deliberately provoked a confrontation, once again using immigration as the tip of the spear for our democracy, unchecked executive power, and the militarization of American communities. It is no coincidence that the powder keg moment they’ve created in Los Angeles coincides with a multimillion-dollar military parade to celebrate a sitting President’s birthday. The Trump-Miller axis is trying to change the national focus back to their preferred storylines in a manner pulled from the playbook of authoritarian regimes and that should have no place in American democracy.”

Point 1: Trump and Miller are using immigration as the tip of the spear to advance the militarization of our communities, unchecked executive power, and the undermining of our democracy

Ahead of President Trump’s military parade to honor his birthday on June 14th, his team is forcing the clash and images he was hoping for in Los Angeles. Once again, immigration is being used as the ‘tip of the spear’ for a broader assault on democratic pillars and as an excuse to seize executive powers, bypass democratic norms, and militarize American communities. And it threatens to become worse.

As David Kurtz of Talking Points Memo writes this morning, “It’s too early to say whether this particular incident ends up being the defining episode of the erosion of the line between the military and domestic law enforcement. But it’s understandable why everyone has a hair trigger … The President’s memo was concerningly open-ended. It didn’t specify Los Angeles or California; it applies anywhere. It empowered the defense secretary ‘to employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary.’”

Point 2: A deliberate pretext to turbocharge mass deportations, including via the $151.3 billion in the big ugly bill in Congress

The Trump administration, Stephen Miller in particular, are using the L.A. protests to justify the $151.3 billion in immigration provisions in the big ugly bill in Congress that would further turbocharge mass deportations. Miller was transparent about this connection in a series of social media posts this weekend, including a stark, “Stand with ICE. Pass the BBB” post interspersed between those highlighting preferred images from Los Angeles.

Point 3: Most immigrants being targeted by the mass deportation dragnet are hardworking, long-residing immigrants who contribute to our communities and want to become American citizens

As the Trump media machine focuses on their preferred images from this weekend of protest clashes, it’s the latest example of their tried-and-true approach to justify mass deportations. Namely, refer to all immigrants as dangerous “invaders” and gang members; exploit and sensationalize isolated crimes committed by immigrants; and seize on imagery that supports their preferred narratives. All of it is used by Stephen Miller and the nativist diehards in the administration as a pretext to go after any immigrant they can – including Dreamers and long-residing community members who are trying to get right by our immigration law.

The real face of mass deportation has been evident in recent weeks: think of images of militarized ICE agents in masks and tactical gear swarming neighborhoods and brandishing weapons to go after workers, spouses, kids and parents. Recall the community pushback in states across the country against the detention of Ximena in Dalton, GA and the high school student-athlete Marcelo in Milford, MA and Carol, a beloved community member and waitress from Hong Kong in the Trump-supporting community of Kennett, MO. That’s the real story of mass deportation and what Miller is wanting support to enact in the rest of America.