Washington — Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the administration’s mobilization of the National Guard and members of the Marine Corps to Los Angeles amid ongoing immigration protests.
“We imagine ICE brokers must be allowed to be protected in doing their operations and we now have deployed Nationwide Guard and the Marines to guard them within the execution of their duties as a result of we ought be capable of implement immigration legislation on this nation,” Hegseth mentioned Tuesday, testifying earlier than the Home Appropriations Subcommittee on Protection.
Hegseth claimed ICE brokers are “being attacked for doing their job, which is deporting unlawful criminals.”
“In the event that they’re attacked, that is lawless, and President Trump believes in legislation and order,” Hegseth mentioned, arguing the president “has each authority.”
In accordance with performing Protection Division comptroller Bryn MacDonnell, who was additionally tesifying Tuesday, the estimated price of deploying the Nationwide Guard can be $134 million. MacDonnell mentioned it can come out of the operations and administration funds.
President Trump referred to as for the Nationwide Guard to implement order within the L.A. space over the weekend amid protests over exercise by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prompting a conflict with California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom warned that the transfer would inflame the state of affairs, whereas urging that there isn’t a scarcity of legislation enforcement. And California sued the Trump administration Monday, after arguing that the transfer to name the Nationwide Guard with out the state’s permission was unlawful.
Later Monday, the army mentioned it was mobilizing an additional 2,000 members of the Nationwide Guard, whereas activating 700 members of the Marine Corps to assist the Nationwide Guard. Members of the Marine Corps
arrived Tuesday within the better Los Angeles space, a protection official advised CBS News. Newsom’s workplace referred to as the escalation “utterly unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented.”
Al Drago/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos
In the meantime, Mr. Trump took intention at Newsom in latest days, sharply criticizing his dealing with of the protests, whereas suggesting that his “border czar” Tom Homan might arrest the California governor.
“I’d do it if I had been Tom,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “Gavin likes the publicity, however I believe it will be an incredible factor.”
Homan told CBS News late Monday that “there is no intention to arrest” Newsom. However he defended calling within the Nationwide Guard, calling it “completely” essential.
Hegseth says Protection can cowl funds contingencies to take care of “legislation and order in a serious American metropolis.”
The developments come as Hegseth is testifying Tuesday earlier than the appropriations panel on the administration’s proposed funds. Requested about the price of mobilizing the Nationwide Guard and Marine Corps to California and the influence on the funds, Hegseth mentioned the Protection Division has the potential to “cowl down on contingencies,” particularly “as vital as sustaining legislation and order in a serious American metropolis.”
Troops within the area are “very nicely ready,” Hegseth says
Requested about situations for Nationwide Guard troops in Los Angeles, as Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar of California expressed “extreme concern,” Hegseth mentioned troops within the area are “very nicely ready” and “responded extremely quickly to a deteriorating state of affairs, with gear and capabilities.” “There are moments the place you make do as greatest you possibly can quickly, however we’re guaranteeing they’re housed, fed, water, capabilities in actual time,” Hegseth mentioned.
The protection secretary’s testimony comes months after he endured a bruising affirmation course of within the Senate. Hegseth was among the many most embattled of Mr. Trump’s nominees for high posts in his administration, however the 45-year-old Military veteran and former Fox News host was finally confirmed by the Senate in a slender vote. In latest weeks, he is confronted renewed scrutiny over the usage of the encrypted messaging app Sign.
contributed to this report.