(KTLA) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to threats over the weekend by the Trump administration that he could be arrested if he interferes with ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants.
“He’s a tough guy, why doesn’t he do that? He knows where to find me,” Newsom said during an interview with MSNBC News on Sunday.
Newsom plans to file lawsuit against Trump over National Guard deployment to protests
The governor also issued some strong statements toward the president and his administration’s crackdown on immigration.
“But, you know what? Lay your hands off 4-year-old girls that are trying to get educated. Lay your hands off these poor people that are just trying to live their lives, man. Trying to live their lives, paying their taxes … been here 10 years,” Newsom said.
The governor’s comments come in response to threats by President Donald Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, to arrest anyone who obstructs the immigration enforcement effort, including Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, NBC News reported.
“I’ll say about anybody,” Homan told the television network. “You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.”
For her part, Bass said Homan’s comments were unnecessary. “I spoke to him last night. He understands that I am the mayor of the city; the last thing in the world I’m going to do is get into a brawl with the federal government. So that just made no sense. There was no reason for that comment,” she told NBC News.
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Newsom and other Democratic leaders have criticized Trump’s use of the National Guard in trying to quell anti-ICE immigration protests that turned violent in Los Angeles over the weekend, saying the escalation in force will only lead to further trouble. Newsom also announced plans to sue the Trump administration over the deployment.
Meanwhile, Trump has indicated he would be willing to bring in the U.S. Marines if he felt the situation called for it. Trump also backed up Homan’s warning to officials, saying they will “face judges” if they stand in the way.
“Who the hell is this guy? Come after me, arrest me, let’s just get it over with, tough guy,” Newsom responded.
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