A picture of the “mostly peaceful” protests in Los Angeles

The riots that are boiling in Los Angeles are violent, political statements demanding that the United States embrace those who entered our country illegally over the four years of the Biden administration, regardless of their motives for entering this country or their activities while in this country. I have no doubt that many, even most, of those wanting to protest desire to and are protesting peacefully. However, the protests have been taken over by violent agitators whose goal is not primarily the release of those arrested or to prevent their deportation, but an action to force the hand of the U. S. government to not enforce our immigration laws, as was the case for four years under the Biden administration.

I have long stated that I believe we need a process whereby those who entered this country illegally with the desire to improve their lives, or were brought here as children under no power of their own, be provided an opportunity to make their case for why they came and why they should be allowed to stay. If they can make a good case, they are allowed to stay and be placed on a process toward citizenship. If they cannot make a good case, they are deported.

But this should never apply to those who came here to game the system, or to participate in criminal activity with cartels or organized criminal gangs, or who have individually committed violent or other heinous crimes. These people should be given the minimal due process our Constitution demands, and then quickly deported.

The riots in LA were inspired by ICE enforcing a federal warrant against companies that had hired illegal immigrants, had falsified legal documents in the attempt to hide the fact that they had hired illegal immigrants, or were accused of customs fraud, tax evasion and money laundering in support of Mexican cartels. Tom Homan, Director of ICE, told MSNBC, “The Fashion District wasn’t an immigration raid. It was a service of three criminal warrants [at] locations based on a large criminal conspiracy … that has to do with money laundering, tax evasion, and customs fraud for a company that has undeclared, underdeclared over $80 million in goods, failed to pay $17 million in fees. They believe that some of this money is being laundered in Mexico to fund cartel activity.” At least some of those arrested by ICE have long records of violent criminal activity, including murder, rape, sexual assault, cruelty to a child, and drug offenses. These are not the kind of foreign nationals we need in this country. Give them their minimal due process and deport them.

But if you ask the protesters, or Democratic politicians, or the legacy media, these people are just regular folk who are trying to make a living and lead a peaceful life in the good ol’ USA. And the protesters? Why, they’re just citizens engaging in their First Amendment right to peacefully protest against an oppressive, megalomaniacal wanna-dictator named Donald Trump. Yes, you heard that right. The protests are “mostly peaceful.” Some of these liars don’t even bother with the “mostly” part. As if they didn’t learn the lessons of the 2020 riots (or maybe they actually think it helped them put Joe Biden in the White House), the Democrats and media are telling us, once again, to not believe our lying eyes – don’t look at that burning car, or those bottles and bricks or fireworks being thrown or directed at the police, or the defacing of public buildings, or the trashing and vandalizing of other peoples’ neighborhoods and businesses, or listen to the gunshots fired at law enforcement officers – just take our word for it that the protests are peaceful. Chief Jim McDonnell of the LAPD and Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County beg to differ.

President Trump nationalized the California National Guard and sent in 2,000 National Guard troops to LA to help protect federal personnel and property. He then sent 700 US Marines to LA to assist in this effort, and then another 2,000 National Guard troops. Governor Gavin Newsom of California has called the sending of the National Guard and Marines “completely unwarranted” and an escalation of a situation that California law enforcement had under control. Well, the LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said they were “overwhelmed.” So, which is it? I tend to favor the view of the guy who’s in LA and in charge of keeping the peace. Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and, as you saw above, others are claiming that Gov. Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles are doing little to nothing to stem the violence in the city. Newsom had requested an immediate restraining order to prevent Trump’s mobilization of military troops in Los Angeles, but a federal judge rejected that request. Both sides will have to make their arguments before the court. We’ll see what that comes to. Newsom is arguing that Trump overstepped his authority by nationalizing the National Guard and sending troops without Newsom’s having requested any of that. Trump is arguing that Newsom was doing nothing to quell the violence, so he was authorized to step in.

Democrats seem to be mobilized once again on the question of immigration, but not in a way that most political pundits would say is going to help their cause. The fact is, one of Trump’s most popular campaign promises was to close the border and deport illegals, especially the violent and criminal element among illegals. His actions on that front remain very popular among the American people. The Democrats are not going to score many political points defending rapists, murderers, cartel members, or gangbangers who are illegal immigrants. Nor should they. Trump is right on this one.

Will there be innocents caught up in these raids? Yes. There’s already evidence that there have been. But, hopefully, our justice system will work in giving them their say and they will be allowed to continue with their lives. In fact, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council has accused ICE of focusing on people who don’t have criminal records. Reichlin-Melnick wrote on X: “ICE’s new operation involved RE-arresting people who are currently undergoing the court process in full compliance with the law, with the goal of stripping them of a right to a court hearing and subjecting them to ‘expedited removal’ instead.” Reichlin-Melnick claims he as data that “proves that ICE and DHS are in fact NOT focusing on people with criminal records. It’s the opposite; they’re deprioritizing people with records.” For his part, Homan blames sanctuary cities for some of these arrests. Because they refuse to cooperate with ICE in detaining the criminal immigrants, but release them into the community, Homan says ICE’s only choice is to go into the community to capture them. Homan says, “Others that are in the United States illegally may not be a criminal target, but guess what? If ICE is there and arrests that bad guy and other aliens are there, we’re going to arrest them. That’s what sanctuary cities get.”

As for me, I blame Biden and his idiot open border policy for this mess. Biden encouraged – heck, he invited – millions of people to enter the U. S. illegally by literally telling them they could do so without consequence, and even enticing them to do so with the promise of financial benefits. And they came. Why wouldn’t they? The U. S. is a great country, and opportunities exist here that likely are not available in their home countries. Plus, past presidents – even Reagan – eventually relented and gave amnesty to past immigrants who entered the country illegally. They certainly figured it was worth the risk to steal into the U. S. in the hopes of eventually being granted amnesty, while enjoying the benefits Biden offered until amnesty was granted.

Trump doesn’t read my blog, and wouldn’t listen to me if he did, so he’s not going to offer an opportunity for those who came here genuinely hoping to improve their lives the opportunity to make their case. In my mind, that is simply wrong and is not how you treat people with dignity, which the Church says we are obliged to do because all people, legal or illegal, are made in the image of God. I sincerely hope that those innocents caught up in ICE’s raids are discovered and released. But I cannot fault ICE for carrying out its duty to remove criminal illegal immigrants, because I don’t want those people here, either. Why so many are willing to tolerate their presence among us, protesting and demanding their release, is beyond me. If anyone can explain, I’m all ears.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.