Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles

Governor Gavin Newsom spoke in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday at the Japanese American National Museum. He was promoting his plan to change California’s congressional districts in response to redistricting by Republican-controlled Texas.

About 100 federal agents gathered just outside in the Little Tokyo area, likely for an immigration operation. Newsom’s office posted on social media in a style similar to Donald Trump, “BORDER PATROL HAS SHOWED UP AT OUR BIG BEAUTIFUL PRESS CONFERENCE! WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED!”, as reported by KTLA 5.

Federal agents cause stir in downtown LA

The Los Angeles Police Department warned of traffic disruptions due to the large federal presence. LA Mayor Karen Bass said the agents’ presence “was no coincidence” and called it “unbelievably disrespectful” and “provocative”. Bass added, “They decided they were going to come and thumb their nose in front of the governor’s face…They are talking about disorder in Los Angeles, and they are the source of the disorder in Los Angeles right now”.


DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Border Patrol patrols all areas of Los Angeles every day with over 40 teams to keep LA safe, and the operation was not about targeting Newsom. McLaughlin said, “Our law enforcement operations are about enforcing the law—not about Gavin Newsom”, as per the KTLA 5 report.

Border patrol arrests strawberry vendor

Federal agents detained at least one person during the operation in downtown Los Angeles. The arrested person was a strawberry vendor outside the Democracy Center in Little Tokyo. Border Patrol Sector Commander Gregory K. Bovino said the man was in the country illegally, as mentioned by NBC Los Angeles.

Video showed armed and masked U.S. Border Patrol agents walked the man with his hands restrained behind his back toward federal buildings, including a detention center. Newsom mentioned the Border Patrol operation during his speech, saying: “Right outside, at this exact moment, dozens and dozens of ice agents…Donald Trump, you think it’s coincidental? Donald Trump’s minions, (border czar) Tom Homan, decided this was a location they’d advance”

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Newsom added, “Donald Trump, you have poked the bear. We will punch back”. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff also spoke at the event inside the museum while dozens of agents were outside. Padilla, who was forcibly removed earlier this year from a DHS news conference, said outside: “Trump, it’s all about spectacle…Guess what? California is not going to be intimidated”, as stated by the report.

In addition to Newsom’s speech, a midday ceremony was held nearby at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center honoring three Japanese American brothers who served in World War II while their family was in forced internment under a WWII-era executive order.

Mayor Bass emphasized again: “There is no way this was a coincidence…This is a complete provocation. This has nothing to do with safety. This is the exact opposite of keeping our city safe”. Bovino responded about the Border Patrol location, saying: “Breaking the law is not coincidental…Breaking the law is breaking the law”, as mentioned by reports.

Immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles and Southern California have been happening regularly since early June. These operations are part of President Trump’s campaign promise to carry out a mass deportation plan. The administration focuses on arrests of undocumented immigrants with violent crime convictions, but also includes asylum seekers, visa overstays, and migrants waiting for immigration court, as per the report by NBC Los Angeles.

Through August 1, nearly 56,600 migrants were taken into ICE detention since the start of Trump’s second term.Of those detained, 29% had criminal convictions, 24.7% had pending criminal charges, 46.8% were “other immigration violators,” and 11.9% were fast-tracked for deportation, as reported by NBC News.

FAQs

Q1. Why were federal agents outside Gov. Newsom’s press conference in LA?
About 100 federal agents were conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Little Tokyo, not targeting Newsom personally.

Q2. Who was arrested during the Border Patrol operation outside Newsom’s event?
A strawberry vendor was detained for being in the U.S. illegally, according to Border Patrol officials.