Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and several Indian American Democratic lawmakers have strongly criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom, an action they say has fueled violence and unrest in the city.

“Los Angeles is my home. And like so many Americans, I am appalled at what we are witnessing on the streets of our city. Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos,” Harris said in a statement. She added that recent ICE raids in Southern California and across the country are part of what she called the Trump Administration’s “cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.”

Harris argued that the Administration’s actions are not motivated by concerns over “public safety,” but instead by a desire to “stoke fear.” She described the protests as the result of a community “demanding dignity and due process,” and emphasized that protest is a “powerful tool” in the fight for justice.

Backing the position of the Los Angeles Police Department, Mayor Karen Bass, and Governor Newsom, Harris underscored that the demonstrations in support of immigrant communities have been overwhelmingly peaceful. “I continue to support the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect our most fundamental rights and freedoms,” she said.

Representative Shri Thanedar (D-Michigan) accused Trump of deliberately escalating tensions by deploying federal troops. “He wants to incite violence to distract Americans from the harmful cuts to healthcare and food assistance, designed to give tax breaks to the rich,” Thanedar said.

Representative Ro Khanna (D-California) framed the situation as a “test of federalism.” 

“Political violence must be condemned—but so must executive overreach. California had control,” he said. “Trump’s attempt to override California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Guard authority defies the Constitution and the American principle of limited federal power.”

Representative Ami Bera (D-California) echoed those concerns, calling Trump’s move “a dangerous escalation.”

“Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass have made it clear: there is no unmet need. This is not about restoring order,” Bera said. “It is about the Administration seeking to inflame tensions and provoke violence from protesters to justify further crackdowns.” 

He urged protesters to remain peaceful and called on law enforcement to exercise restraint, noting, “The right to peacefully protest is fundamental and it must be protected.”

Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) also condemned the federal response. 

“He’s a wannabe dictator using violence to advance his authoritarian playbook. We won’t stand for it,” she said, referencing the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful demonstrators.

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