The lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against the city of Los Angeles, its mayor, and the City Council is further pressure on the LAPD and county sheriff’s deputies to actively join this immigration operation.
It is unknown whether ICE’s calculations expected such resilience from the Latino community. The resistance seen in different neighborhoods has been massive. As soon as ICE agents arrive, small crowds take out their phones and begin filming, blocking their cars and heckling them, demanding IDs and warrants.
It would be absurd for ICE not to expect this.
Los Angeles has a long history of fighting for civil rights and recognizing the contributions of Latinos, Asians, Blacks, and other ethnic groups to the city.
If Trump is considering involving the LAPD or the LASD in the raids, he’d better think twice or three times. Many officers in both departments have deep roots in the city; many were born and raised here, and their friends and family live in the neighborhoods ICE is terrorizing.
Yes, Trump has exposed what we all knew: Los Angeles is one and the same when it comes to protecting its residents. There is no distinction based on race or creed.
In the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Latinos represent a significant portion of the workforce, with approximately 46% of the nearly 10,000 officers being Latino, according to various reports. Furthermore, the LAPD has actively promoted ethnic diversity within its ranks, as evidenced by the fact that 17 of the 37 newly graduated officers are Latino.
How far will Trump and ICE officials be able to push Newsom, Karen Bass, and the City Council? We don’t know, but what is not difficult to imagine is that there will be a lot of resistance to this.
