Politics
WATCH: Feds Crash Newsom’s Press Conference, Arrest Illegals Outside
California Governor Gavin Newsom held a press conference on Thursday in which he vowed to further gerrymander his state in response to Texas GOP-led redistricting efforts, even though California is already more gerrymandered than Texas’ maps. The press conference did not go as planned, however, as federal agents showed up outside and proceeded to conduct immigration enforcement operations as the governor and other high-profile Democrats spoke just a few yards away.
Newsom appeared at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles to announce that California will move forward with a partisan plan to redraw congressional maps aimed at picking up five additional seats for the Democratic Party. California Democrats have claimed they are retaliating against Texas, though Republican representation in California is already lower than Texas, even if redistricting is adopted.
Under the maps created by California’s “independent” redistricting commission, have yielded Republicans just 17 percent of the state’s congressional districts despite the fact that 40 percent of voters went for President Donald Trump back in November. Under the new Texas maps, Democrats will control 21 percent of the available seats after receiving 42 percent of the vote.
Despite this, Newsom and other Democrats accused Republicans of “stealing” Democracy and compared the Trump Administration to Nazi Germany.
About a block away, federal Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and agents from additional agencies showed up to conduct immigration enforcement operations. “Border Patrol has arrived outside of the downtown LA venue where Governor Newsom will be holding a press conference today & appears to have made at least one arrest,” Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported after speaking with Chief Greg Bovino.
Footage obtained by the outlet shows at least one illegal alien being taken away in handcuffs by a large contingent of federal agents. “We’re here making Los Angeles a safer place, since we don’t have politicians who will do that, we do that ourselves,” Bovino said.
Inside the venue, speakers deployed the same hyperbolic rhetoric which, according to the administration, has led to an unprecedented rise in violent assaults targeting federal agents. Pomona College professor Sara Sadhwani — who previously served on the “independent” redistricting commission — told attendees that “masked gunmen” were waiting outside in order to “kidnap” people.
In response to the widespread anti-ICE riots that resulted in numerous assaults on federal agents earlier this summer, President Donald Trump took control of the California National Guard and deployed thousands of personnel, including a detachment of U.S. Marines, in order to support immigration enforcement agents.
While speaking at a recent press conference outlining plans for the 2028 summer olympics, Trump stated that military assets could remain in California throughout the duration of his term in office. “The other thing is we’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military. OK, no, I’ll use I’ll use I will use the National Guard or military. This is going to be so safe,” the president said.
Trump went on to describe Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as “not very competent,” pointing to her inability to quell the unrest in her city and abysmal response to last year’s fires. “And I was there right after the fires and I saw all these beautiful people standing by their homes, ready to get in and get to work. And they’re waiting for their permits, and they’re still waiting for their state permits and city permits,” the president added, concluding with, “It’s a disgrace.”
