Gilbert R. Cisneros: “I rise today to denounce the ICE raids in southern California carried out this past weekend and the President's…”

“I rise today to denounce the ICE raids in southern California carried out this past weekend and the President's unilateral decision to deploy the National Guard and, now, the Marines. The President claims to be going after violent criminals, but in reality, ICE is rounding up individuals off the street with no warrants, including children. Local and State law enforcement did not ask for assistance. Donald Trump is escalating the situation and making it more dangerous for everyone. Just today, he said the National Guard is preventing the violence on the street, and that is a flat-out lie. The National Guard is standing on the sidelines, watching as local law enforcement handles the situation. Now, he is sending in the Marines. This is not the mission of the Marines. They aren't trained for this. Sending them on ICE raids will only provoke confrontation. The President is playing with the lives of Californians, and the military is the pawn in his political game. He wants to create a conflict that will allow him to invoke the Insurrection Act or martial law--God only knows why--but California will never ever bend to the will of a tyrant.”