Key Takeaways:
- Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis supports sending the National Guard to Los Angeles amid ICE protests.
- She blames California’s sanctuary policies for making the situation dangerous.
- A former DOJ official accuses President Trump of escalating violence by firing experts who could have calmed things down.
- The debate centers on balancing immigration enforcement with community safety.
A Heated Debate Over ICE Protests and Safety
A recent CNN discussion turned tense when Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York, faced off with a former Justice Department official over the growing chaos in Los Angeles. The city is dealing with protests against ICE immigrant sweeps, and the situation is getting more violent by the day.
During the talk, Malliotakis strongly defended President Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to Los Angeles. She argued that the move was necessary because ICE agents were being attacked, cars were being set on fire, and landmarks were being vandalized. “This is unacceptable,” she said, adding that the agents are targeting dangerous criminals like gang members, drug traffickers, and sex offenders.
Interrupted and Challenged
But things took a turn when Malliotakis was challenged. A former DOJ official, Xochitl Hinojosa, spoke up, pointing out that the protests also involve families, including children and mothers. “What I saw in the videos was terrible,” Hinojosa said, criticizing the use of force. She argued that the president’s job is to calm things down, not make them worse.
Hinojosa also blamed Trump for firing employees from the DOJ’s Community Relations Service. This group, she explained, usually steps in to help local police calm tense situations, like during the George Floyd protests. “He got rid of all those employees because he doesn’t believe in civil rights,” she said. Without these experts, she believes the situation in Los Angeles has spiraled out of control.
“The Federal Government’s Role Is to Help”
Malliotakis pushed back, saying the federal government’s job is to support local law enforcement, not sit back and let chaos erupt. But Hinojosa insisted that sending in the National Guard only makes things worse. “This is not about supporting the police,” she said. “This is about escalating violence.”
The debate highlights a deeper divide over how to handle immigration and protests. On one side, there’s a focus on enforcing the law and protecting agents. On the other, there’s a call to protect human rights and avoid making a bad situation worse.
What’s Happening in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has been a hotspot for protests against ICE raids. These raids target undocumented immigrants, but critics say they often sweep up people who are not criminals. Videos showing violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement have gone viral, raising concerns about safety and human rights.
Hinojosa’s point is that sending in the military, like the National Guard, only adds fuel to the fire. She believes the DOJ should be working with local police to calm things down, not making the situation more explosive.
Meanwhile, Malliotakis and other Republicans argue that sanctuary cities like Los Angeles are part of the problem. Sanctuary cities refuse to cooperate with ICE, making it harder for agents to do their jobs. This, they say, puts everyone at risk.
The Broader Picture
The clash on CNN is just one example of a bigger fight happening across the country. It’s a fight over how to balance immigration enforcement with human rights. It’s also a fight over how leaders should respond when things turn violent.
For now, the situation in Los Angeles remains tense. Both sides agree that something needs to be done, but they can’t agree on how to do it. As protests continue, one thing is clear: the way the government handles this could have lasting effects on communities and the country as a whole.
This debate is about more than just ICE raids or the National Guard. It’s about what kind of country we want to be—one that enforces its laws at all costs or one that protects its people, no matter where they come from. The answer won’t come overnight, but the way leaders respond to this crisis will shape the future for all of us.