Border czar Tom Homan defended the deployment of hundreds of Marines to help protect federal officials and property amid violent protests in Los Angeles.
President Donald Trump temporarily deployed the Marines within California on Monday to reinforce National Guard troops sent to help protect Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials after street demonstrations in Southern California began Friday, when activists clashed with sheriff’s deputies.
Demonstrators in Los Angeles have assembled, among other places, at a government facility where immigrants are detained.
California’s Democrat-led government has said Trump’s move is an abuse of power and an unnecessary provocation.
Homan blamed the Marines’ presence on the protesters.
“Yes, it all depends on the activities of these protesters – I mean, they make the decisions. I keep hearing reports that they’re rioting because President Trump sent National Guard here, it’s just ridiculous,” Homan told CNN on Monday night.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen tonight – it seems like at night, the crowds get bigger, the violence peaks. So, we want to be ahead of the game. We’ll be well prepared for the military here to protect government property and protect officers’ lives.”
Homan said immigration enforcement continued to be the responsibility of ICE and not the Marines.
“They’re not reinforcing immigration law – we’re doing that, we’re immigration officers,” Homan said. “Their job is protection of property and protection of our agents and their lives and their wellbeing, along with the public’s wellbeing.”
Homan said daily discussions involving the White House, and the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense determined “deployment of the National Guard and any other deployment.”
“I hope it’s not the new normal,” Homan said of the military’s presence. “I hope people go out there and protest peacefully, but to attack law enforcement officers who are simply enforcing the laws that Congress enacted.
“So, if you want to hate, you want to protest, go to Congress and protest them. ICE is just doing their job.”
Homan added that violence, such as that in Los Angeles, will not prevent ICE officials from doing their jobs of enforcing immigration law.
“They’ll continue every day, not only in California, Los Angeles, they’re gonna continue every city across the country – we have teams throughout the country that are out there looking for those in the country,” Homan told CNN.
“We’re in every city and country, and ICE is going to be out every single day and will continue to be there regardless what’s happening in L.A.”
Reuters contributed to this story.
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