Legacy Civil Rights organizations issue joint statement on Trump-ordered military deployments in Los Angeles immigration protests

WASHINGTON, D.C—Leaders of eight legacy Civil Rights organizations announced in a joint statement on Monday night (Oct. 10) that they are standing in “urgent solidarity” with Los Angeles, CA in response to President Trump’s immigration raids and the responsive protests underway in the city.

President Trump has doubled the number of troops activated rom the California National Guard to 4,000 and deployed 700 Marines to the Los Angeles area area. The federal government has accused local authorities of not doing enough to protect Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from being assaulted, which state and local officials deny.

The protests began in downtown LA on Friday, June 6, after ICE agents were carrying out raids across the city. Protestors have blasted the military deployments, along with local officials including Mayor Karen Bass.  California Gov. Gavin Newsom also has denounced the military deployments, calling them “reckless.” 

The legacy Civil Rights organizations issued the following joint statement around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, June 9:

“We stand in full and urgent solidarity with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the residents of Los Angeles during this alarming moment. The federal government’s decision to federalize the State National Guard in Los Angeles, against the protestations of the Governor and against Mayor Bass’s urging, is deeply disturbing. It is reckless and creates the possibility of greater rights violations endangering residents.

It is not lost on us that no such show of force was deployed in advance of the January 6 insurrection at our nation’s capital despite the clear threat to democracy. The contrast is alarming. Peaceful protestors in Los Angeles are met with military presence, while violent actors in Washington, D.C. were allowed to breach the heart of our government with little resistance. This inconsistency amplifies questions about how power is used and against whom. Federalization is a far cry from collaboration. What we are witnessing is an overreach of executive power. 

The people’s right to peacefully exercise their collective power and challenge this administration’s unjust policies targeting Black and Brown communities must be protected. This administration’s abuse of power will not stand. We do not live under a monarchy or an authoritarian dictatorship. We support local and state officials in their efforts to improve the well-being and safety of their communities, with the assistance of the federal government. That assistance should support the rights of individuals and uplift communities, not punish those exercising freedoms.

We would be remiss to ignore how we got here, and the authoritarian goals of this administration. This is not the America we know. The actions of ICE agents are those of a police state. They endanger our communities. ICE agents are targeting people pursuing day-to-day activities–shopping at the neighborhood store or simply taking care of their families in the privacy of their own homes–for immigration arrests and deportation, at times without Due Process.

Civil rights and liberties are constitutionally protected and must be respected. We will always fight to protect these hard won rights because they are essential to a strong multi-racial democracy.”

The statement is signed by:

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Legal Defense Fund

National Action Network

NAACP

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)

National Urban League