US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Los Angeles was being invaded by a “foreign enemy,” as he addressed protests in the city in a hardline speech at an army base.
“We will not allow an American city to be invaded and conquered by a foreign enemy,” Trump told troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, speaking about the protests, which were sparked by immigration raids.
“What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags with the aim of continuing a foreign invasion of our country.”
Protesters have clashed with police for four days over immigration raids. Source: AAP / Michael Nigro/Sipa USA
On Monday, California said the deployment of the National Guard by Republican President Donald Trump’s administration was illegal and violated the state’s sovereignty and federal law, according to a court filing of its lawsuit against the US government.
CNN has reported a judge has denied the request to block Trump from using Marines and the National Guard.
According to CNN’s reporting, the Justice Department has scheduled a hearing for Thursday afternoon over the request.
Tensions have been rising since Trump activated the National Guard on Saturday — an act that Democrats have labelled an unnecessary provocation — after street protests erupted in response to immigration raids in Southern California.
Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people who are in the country illegally and to lock down the US-Mexico border, setting the border enforcement agency a daily goal of arresting at least 3,000 migrants.
