Credit: Jon Krieg for AFSC
This weekend, the Trump administration authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Its goal: to quash voices of support for immigrants. People were standing up against yet another round of violent immigration raids that tear our communities apart.
This is part of the Trump administration’s broader attack on immigrant communities. Since taking office, the administration has greatly increased detention and deportations across the country. Now it is targeting peaceful protesters. The administration has put National Guard troops under the control of the Secretary of Defense for 60 days—or longer. That means that even if these troops withdraw from Los Angeles, they can be deployed against protesters anywhere for the next two months.
Using military force against people exercising their right to free speech violates our democratic principles. This must end now.
As a Quaker organization committed to peace and justice, we know our communities are stronger with immigrants. We refuse to accept these cruel, unjust policies.
We join with leaders across the state and the country to demand that the Trump administration:
• Withdraw National Guard troops from Los Angeles immediately.
• Cancel the order allowing troops to be used against protesters elsewhere.
• End ICE raids in our neighborhoods and workplaces.
• Protect everyone’s rights, including the right to peaceful protest.
###
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine Light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.