Democratic Representative Nanette Barragán is under fire on social media after calling the recent unrest in Los Angeles “peaceful protests” and urging for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave the community.
Barragán represents parts of southern Los Angeles. She made the remarks during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, as television footage showed a car engulfed in flames amid rising tensions following immigration raids and violent clashes over the weekend.
“It’s a concern,” Barragán said when asked about US President Donald Trump’s deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to the city. “It’s going to escalate the situation. People are going to protest because they’re angry about the situation.”
The deployment came after a weekend of chaos that saw federal agents clash with demonstrators. On Saturday night, officers fired tear gas, pepper balls and flash-bang explosives at protesters near a Home Depot in Paramount, California, after rocks and cement were thrown at law enforcement vehicles. A day earlier, demonstrators had gathered outside a federal detention facility demanding the release of more than 40 individuals held for immigration violations. Police in riot gear responded with tear gas.
In a statement to HuffPost, Barragán said she had been informed by local law enforcement that the California National Guard would remain in the city for 30 days. She added that department of homeland security officials had told officers that ICE would be carrying out arrests over the same period.
“Given [President Donald] Trump’s reasoning for mobilising the National Guard, we expect them to be deployed during that same time frame,” Barragán said.
The White House said the deployment was meant to address “lawlessness that has been allowed to fester” in the city. National Guard troops began arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday morning.
California governor Gavin Newsom criticised the move, calling it a stunt. “The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle,” he posted on X. “Don’t give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”
Barragán acknowledged that violence had occurred, but insisted the protests were rooted in legitimate frustration with the presence of federal immigration officers.
“We have to remember why this is happening,” she said. “It’s happening because of everything that’s been going on the last couple of months. And this community is saying, ‘We don’t want ICE in our community. We want you out.’”
The Congresswoman encouraged protesters to remain non-violent, saying, “Protesters who are violent should be arrested and prosecuted,” but she also accused federal officers of being aggressive regardless of protester behaviour.
“The president is sending the National Guard because he doesn’t like the scenes, the scenes of people peacefully protesting,” Barragán said.
According to the Associated Press, ICE officials have detained at least 100 people in Los Angeles over the past week on immigration charges.
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