‘These are Americans’: Huntington Park mayor and veteran delivers plea to Marines deployed to protests

The anti-immigration raid protests in Los Angeles have now entered their sixth day, with tensions running high as demonstrators continue to voice their opposition to the government’s actions. In a show of solidarity, a group of 30 regional mayors from Southern California have come together to support the protesters and condemn the use of military force in civilian areas.

Led by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the mayors gathered for a press conference to address the escalating situation. Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores, a Marine veteran, delivered a powerful message to the servicemembers deployed to the protests by President Donald Trump’s administration. Despite the president’s insistence that the deployment is necessary to combat “lawlessness,” Mayor Flores emphasized that the oath taken by servicemembers is to defend the Constitution and the American people, not a single individual.

“The people in these communities are Americans, regardless of their immigration status,” Mayor Flores asserted, highlighting the diverse makeup of the protesters and the importance of protecting their rights. The protests, which initially began in Paramount and have since spread to downtown Los Angeles, were sparked by a recent ICE raid at a local Home Depot and other locations in the area. Over 300 individuals have been detained by ICE in Los Angeles since the protests began, according to the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

The deployment of over 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines has only intensified the situation, with many local leaders condemning the militarization of immigration enforcement. Mayor Flores decried the use of fear-based tactics targeting immigrant communities and undermining public trust. He described the deployment of Marines on U.S. soil as a dangerous escalation that goes against the values of democracy.

As tensions continue to rise in Los Angeles, the message from the mayors is clear: they stand with the protesters in their fight for justice and oppose the use of military force to suppress dissent. The Trump administration’s actions have been labeled as political theater rooted in fear, and the mayors are committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.