|
Trump threatens to send thousands of National Guard members to Washington D.C. Demonstrators gathered outside the White House on Saturday, with some holding up signs that read 'Down with Immigration and Customs Enforcement' in protest.
According to US media reports, the Trump administration has launched immigration enforcement actions in Massachusetts, vowing to capture and deport the "worst criminal illegal immigrants" in the state. Insiders say that this operation is expected to last for several weeks.
The New York Times reported on Saturday (September 6) citing two informed sources that the Trump administration launched the "Patriot 2.0" immigration enforcement operation in Massachusetts over the weekend. The US Department of Homeland Security issued a strongly worded statement on this action on the same day: "If you enter the country illegally and violate our laws, we will pursue, arrest, and expel you, and you will never be able to return to the United States again
A US official revealed that the Department of Homeland Security has developed plans to launch a larger scale immigration enforcement operation starting this month.
A homeland security official stated that the key target of this operation is immigrants who were attempted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be detained from local prisons but were still released; Due to some of the released individuals actually residing outside of Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, the scope of law enforcement actions has expanded beyond Boston.
Boston Mayor Wu Mi's public questioning of the scale of government immigration enforcement actions has angered authorities. The Department of Homeland Security accuses her of promoting asylum policies that not only attract and shelter criminals, but also prioritize these public safety threats over the interests of law-abiding American citizens.
ICE is conducting routine law enforcement in Massachusetts, arresting 370 immigrants in March and nearly 1500 immigrants in May this year. The people of Washington D.C. held a demonstration on Saturday to oppose Trump's deployment of the National Guard to the area. Demonstrators held up bilingual banners in English and Spanish, which read: 'End the occupation of Washington!'
The Trump administration has implemented immigration crackdowns in multiple parts of the United States. The action in Los Angeles, California in June this year sparked protests and riots. Trump deployed troops and federal agents to the area, which later expanded to Washington D.C. This move has sparked a wave of legal lawsuits and protests.
On Saturday, Trump also hinted at strengthening immigration enforcement in Chicago, Illinois. He posted a picture on social media imitating the image of an American officer in the movie "Apocalypse Now", with the caption: "I like the scent of being expelled in the early morning. Behind him, a raging fire burned the Chicago skyline, with multiple helicopters flying in the air.
Democratic Governor Pritzker refuted, saying, "The President of the United States has threatened to declare war on American cities. This is not a joke, nor is it normal. Illinois will not be intimidated by a dictatorship imitator
Chicago was supposed to host multiple Mexican Independence Day celebrations, but the Mexican American community has been tense lately and not as lively as usual. Due to concerns about law enforcement raids, some celebration events have been postponed or cancelled.
However, thousands of protesters still marched through downtown Chicago on Saturday, unafraid of Trump's threats. The team passed by Trump Tower, with many protesters waving the Chicago flag. A 50 year old Guatemalan protester said, "It's not street criminals who have been expelled, but families who have been torn apart. They really went to the wrong city |
