(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump has upped the ante in the growing contention with California Gov. Gavin Newsom as immigration riots persist in Los Angeles.
Trump told reporters Monday as he returned to the White House that if he were border czar Tom Homan, he would arrest Newsom. He did not give instructions to do so.
The president’s remarks come on the heels of the Democratic governor goading the Trump administration during an interview with MSNBC over the weekend. Newsom defended his state’s sanctuary status and daring Homan to arrest him for aiding and abetting “illegal aliens.”
“Get your hands off these poor people, they’re just trying to live their lives and pay their taxes … So, Tom, arrest me. Let’s go,” said the governor.
In an interview with Meet the Press, Homan called Newsom an “embarrassment” to his state.
In May, Homan toyed with the idea of arresting lawmakers harboring “illegal aliens” in sanctuary cities and states.
Homan was asked by reporters in May outside the White House what should happen to public officials who do not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested and charged with helping a defendant who was in the country illegally escape immigration officers.
Homan told reporters in a cryptic message at the time, “wait to see what’s coming,” after being asked if more arrests would be made.
“You cannot support what we’re doing and you can support sanctuary cities if that’s what you want to do,” Homan said. “But if you cross that line of impediment or knowingly harboring and concealing an illegal alien, that is a felony. And we are treating it as such.”
The threats come as Newsom filed suit against Trump for deploying the National Guard to quell riots in Los Angeles.
The White House announced Saturday evening that the president was deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen in response to the violence.
In a late-night statement Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump has signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” She pointed fingers at California’s Democratic leadership for allowing the violence to continue.
“In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE officers and federal law enforcement agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California. These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens,” Leavitt stated.
In response to the president’s order, Newsom accused the president of overstepping his powers, warning other states could be next.
“He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard,” Newsom said Monday. “The order he signed doesn’t just apply to California. It will allow him to go into any state and do the same thing. We’re suing him.”
Since taking office for his second term, including on the day of, demonstrations have taken place nationwide protesting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Los Angeles has evolved into the most explosive.
