U.S. Sen. James Lankford is backing President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles amid protests over immigration enforcement actions by federal agents.
“President Trump is just speaking out and saying, ‘Hey, we want law and order,’” Lankford said during a Fox Business interview. “You can’t throw bricks at police officers and smash federal buildings and cars, set them on fire, and block traffic. All of that’s illegal and what they’re protesting is illegal activity.”
Undocumented immigration is a civil violation in most cases, though entering the United States illegally may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor under federal law, similar in severity to offenses like shoplifting or disorderly conduct.
The protests in Los Angeles began over the weekend in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids conducted as part of Trump's push to reform immigration policy.
Trump’s decision to send the National Guard came without the consent of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who publicly opposed the move. Lankford criticized Newsom for encouraging the demonstrations.
“We’ve got a governor, Newsom, who is actually celebrating people protesting for illegal activity in his state,” Lankford said.
This is the first time a president has federalized the National Guard without a governor’s cooperation since President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Selma, Alabama, to protect civil rights demonstrators in 1965.
