US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicized anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles.
“We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
“These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center,” he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers.
Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals.
Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times.
Trump has pounced on the violent incidents to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines to the Democrat-led city, against the wishes of local and state authorities.
California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court.
Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that an overnight curfew put in place last week to stop vandalism and looting at the protests would be extended “a couple more days.”
She described the fear and anger that have taken hold in the heavily Latino city over the immigration raids.
“People are afraid to leave their homes,” she said, adding that raids have at times felt “indiscriminate.”
“This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public,” she said.
Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday with just a handful of demonstrators marching outside City Hall ahead of the curfew.