J. D. Vance, the vice-president of the United States, says that the National Guard and the Marines are “still necessary” in Los Angeles

On a visit to Los Angeles, the American vice-president, J. D. Vance, assured, Friday, June 20, that the presence of the military of the National Guard in Los Angeles was “Always necessary”despite the return to calm for a week in the Californian megapolus.

The wave of arrests of people in an irregular situation, which caused the population of the population in early June, continues, but the city has not experienced major demonstrations since the weekend of June 16.

Largely peaceful, the rallies had sometimes degenerated into violence and clashes with the police, mainly in the Donwtown district, in the center of the Californian megalopolis, as well as in a town on the outskirts. Donald Trump then deployed 4,000 soldiers from the California National Guard and 700 Navy soldiers.

“Unfortunately, the soldiers [de la garde nationale] And the navies are still necessary in the current context, because it is feared that the situation degenerates again ”said Vance, during a visit to the military command center on the spot.

The vice-president was delighted that a federal court of appeal validated the deployment of the National Guard on Thursday. According to him, it shows that the sending of soldiers “Was completely legitimate and appropriate”. Donald Trump “Will do it again if necessary”he warned, while the administration recently ordered new operations against migrants in other democratic municipalities, such as Chicago and New York.

Raised curfew

The deployment of the National Guard, without the approval of the Governor of the State – who also has authority over this reserve military body – has been a first since 1965. On the ground, soldiers protect federal buildings, as well as immigration police officers (ICE).

But the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, and the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, denounce an extreme and unjustified measure, which “Make a crisis”. They have, several times, condemned violence and repeated that local police are enough to manage the situation. To curb the clashes, M^me Bass had, moreover, set up a curfew, lifted on Tuesday, given the return to calm. Los Angeles police arrested nearly 600 people since the start of the demonstrations and, on Tuesday, the city’s prosecutor announced the first proceedings against around thirty individuals.

Despite this, Mr. Vance accused the mayor and the Democratic Governor of“Encourage far left agitators” and to have “Easy violence and riots” in the city. The vice-president linked this accusation of laxity to the policy of California, State “Sanctuary” For migrants, where the collaboration of local police with the federal immigration police is strictly limited by law. “By treating the city as a sanctuary city, Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass have somehow declared the hunt for open federal police”he claimed.

Donald Trump has erected the fight against immigration in absolute priority since his return to power and has promised to expel millions of people in an irregular situation.