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Emigration and immigration

Democratic Governors Oppose Trump's Military Deployment in California

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

During a tense House hearing, three Democratic governors from states with non-cooperation immigration policies strongly opposed President Trump's decision to deploy over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines into Los Angeles without California Gov. Gavin Newsom's consent. The governors argued that such decisions should be made by local officials, not the federal government. The hearing was marked by a shouting match among members and accusations of Nazi tactics. A video showed California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla being forcibly removed and handcuffed by Secret Service agents while trying to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Key Takeaways:

  • Three Democratic governors (J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Kathy Hochul of New York) testified against President Trump's decision to deploy National Guard troops and Marines into Los Angeles without California Gov. Gavin Newsom's consent.
  • The governors argued that such decisions should be made by local officials, not the federal government, citing that immigration policy is handled by the federal government and states are not required to coordinate with officials.
  • A video showed California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla being forcibly removed and handcuffed by Secret Service agents while trying to ask a question of Noem.
  • The hearing was marked by a shouting match among members, including accusations of Nazi tactics.
  • The governors defended their immigration policies and criticized the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown, pointing to ICE officers wearing face coverings to arrest immigrants.
  • The Democratic governors also criticized the Trump administration's decision to send in the National Guard, stating that it poses a threat to democracy and sets a dangerous precedent.
  • Republicans defended the president's actions, accusing the governors of violating federal law due to their state policies, dubbed as "sanctuary cities."
  • The hearing also touched on the issue of ICE agents wearing face coverings, with some Democrats accusing them of operating like a modern-day Gestapo.

Statistics:

  • 4,000: The number of National Guard troops deployed by President Trump in Los Angeles.
  • 700: The number of Marines deployed by President Trump in Los Angeles.
  • 2: The number of days that multi-day protests in Los Angeles took place after ICE officers began widespread immigration raids at Home Depots.
  • 8: The number of hours that the hearing lasted.

Sources:

  • Newsfromthestates.com, "Dem-Sen. Alex Padilla cuffed at immigration press conference" (no date).
  • Newhampshirebulletin.com, "Repub: Democratic big city mayors defend their immigration policies before U.S. House GOP" (March 6, 2025).

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