LOS ANEGELES, CA – Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Los Angeles Friday to meet with Marines and tour a federal law enforcement operations center.
Vance is expected to make remarks at federal facilities such as a mobile command center, according to media reports.
Marines are being used to guard a federal building near the University of California at Los Angeles, in the Westwood district that is close to downtown L.A. California National Guard members are guarding federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles.
Friday’s trip to Los Angeles makes Vance the highest-ranking official to visit the area since protests started June 6 over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
In response to protests and riots, President Donald Trump on June 7 deployed 2,000 California National Guard members. He later deployed another 2,000 from the California National Guard, as well as 700 Marines.
Late Thursday night, Trump praised a U.S. appeals court for ruling earlier that day he can keep control of the California National Guard.
“BIG WIN in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the President’s core power to call in the National Guard!” Trump posted on his privately-owned social media platform, Truth Social.
The post came after a three-justice panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled late Thursday for an indefinite block to U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer’s June 12 decision transferring control of the National Guard back to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. That means Trump can keep control of the California militia, in response to concerns over recent protesters and rioters in downtown Los Angeles, while Newsom’s lawsuit over the National Guard proceeds. The three justices consist of two appointed by Trump, Mark Bennett and Eric Miller, and one appointed by former President Joe Biden, Jennifer Sung.
In their opinion, the justices wrote they concluded it’s likely Trump’s order federalizing the California National Guard was authorized by Section 12406 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code. Trump used that section when he deployed the National Guard.
Earlier on Thursday, Los Angeles Dodgers fans protested when federal agents were seen outside Dodgers Stadium. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the Customs and Borders Patrol vehicles were in the ballpark’s parking lot briefly. Homeland Security said the agents’ presence wasn’t related to any operation or enforcement.
On Thursday night, Trump described the appeals court ruling on the California National Guard as a judgment of Newsom’s competency. He used his critical nickname for Newsom in his post.
“The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done,” Trump wrote. “This is a Great Decision for our Country, and we will continue to protect and defend Law abiding Americans. Congratulations to the Ninth Circuit, America is proud of you tonight!”
Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have argued the federalization of the California National Guard is unnecessary and that law enforcement should be left to local agencies.
In his statement Thursday, Newsom expressed regret for the panel’s ruling, but noted he welcomed the justices’ comments that despite the Trump administration’s claims, courts have the authority to review the president’s use of the California National Guard.
Federal agents have faced criticism for making arrests at sites such as a church parking lot in the nearby city of Downey, separating family members and actions such as ramming into a suspect’s car with two unmarked vehicles.
In a statement earlier this week, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied claims about federal agents doing racial profiling.
“DHS targets have nothing to do with an individuals’ skin color. What makes someone a target is if they are in the United States illegally. These types of disgusting smears are designed to demonize and villainize our brave ICE law enforcement,” McLaughlin said. “This kind of garbage has led to a more than 400 percent increase in the assaults on ICE officers. Politicians and activists must turn the temperature down and tone down their rhetoric.”
