Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez is calling for prayer, while urging “restraint and calm” after clashes broke out in the city over recent immigration arrests. Source: NCR Online.
US President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard amid pushback from California officials and is threatening to mobilise Marines.
Protests broke out on Friday after several raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which along with Customs and Border Protection is the law enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
The raids – part of Mr Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration – took place in predominantly Latino areas of Los Angeles, with demonstrations forming at the Federal Building and in front of a Home Depot store
Several driverless taxis were set on fire, with dozens arrested and 60 taken into custody at related protests in San Francisco.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the protests, making close to 60 arrests over the weekend.
On Saturday, Mr Trump mobilised at least 2000 National Guard troops to “temporarily protect ICE and other government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.”
Archbishop Gomez, who said in his statement he was “troubled” by the immigration enforcement raids, pleaded for a more comprehensive solution to the nation’s handling of immigration issues.
“We all agree that we don’t want undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals in our communities,” the archbishop said.
“But there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hard-working immigrants and their families.”
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LA archbishop calls for prayer, restraint, immigration law reform amid ICE protests (By Gina Christian, OSV News via NCR Online)
