Kristi Noem Calls Los Angeles a “City of Criminals” Amid ICE Raids and Military Deployment

Watan-U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem declared that Los Angeles has become a “city of criminals,” sharply criticizing Mayor Karen Bass (Democrat) and California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) over their handling of the ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration raids.

Speaking Monday night on Fox News’ Hannity, Noem stated:“Today, we had over 400 to 500 targets—known gang members in Los Angeles who have been committing crimes for years. Gavin Newsom has done nothing. Mayor Bass has done nothing.”

She added, “Now, Bass holds press conferences to talk about the right to protest peacefully and claims it’s a ‘city of immigrants,’ but it’s not—it’s a city of criminals because they’ve been protected for years.”

The Pentagon also dispatched about 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles to protect federal buildings and officials.

Trump’s move was sharply criticized by Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta (Democrat), who filed a lawsuit Monday calling the deployment “an unprecedented power grab.”

Noem defended the federal actions, saying, “We are doing what the president promised—restoring safety. We will use the powers of the presidency to carry out these operations.”

She warned: “The more violence used against law enforcement, the stronger our response will be.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of New York, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Tuesday that Trump’s deployment of National Guard and Marines in response to protests could amount to impeachable offenses.

The protests began Friday in opposition to federal raids targeting undocumented workers.

Clarke Blasts Trump’s Military Use as Unprecedented Overreach, Renews Impeachment Calls

Clarke made her remarks during a joint press conference with three major congressional groups: the Black Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus, and the Asian American Caucus.

When asked whether Trump’s actions qualified as impeachable offenses, Clarke replied: “Yes, I absolutely believe so, and we will address it when the time comes.”

In remarks to NBC News, Clarke said, “This president has crossed every red line,” and labeled the deployment of Marines “a waste of taxpayer money.”

A day earlier, she issued a statement calling the deployment “an authoritarian escalation unprecedented in U.S. history.”

She added: “It all began with peaceful protests against the inhumane detention of our immigrant neighbors.

LAPD had largely contained the situation before Trump’s illegal seizure of the National Guard escalated it.”

“Now, under the pretense of ending the chaos he created, the president ordered 700 active-duty Marines to perform law enforcement duties they have neither the legal nor moral authority to carry out,” Clarke said.

Although a few Democratic House members launched impeachment efforts earlier this year, they have yet to gain traction among the broader party. Trump was impeached twice during his first term but acquitted both times by a Republican-controlled Senate—both chambers of Congress remain under Republican control.