LULAC URGES PUBLIC CALM AS NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ORDERED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARRIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

President of the Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Travels to Los Angeles in Support of Immigrant Community Targeted by Military-Style Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is issuing a national call for public calm as the Trump administration ratchets tensions by ordering 2,000 National Guard troops that are now deploying around LA. The arrival of military personnel and equipment signals a deeply troubling escalation in the administration's approach to immigration, despite strong objections by elected officials and community leaders.

"We are very concerned over the inflammatory language that the Trump administration is using to describe the environment in Los Angeles, which its actions have ignited," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Chairman of the Board. "Sending national guard troops into Southern California, without regard for the authority or knowledge of local or state officials, is a deliberate tactic that is only ramping up the anger," he adds.

Palomares is traveling to Los Angeles to join California LULAC leaders and thousands of other community members to demand an end to the ICE and FBI operations that have resulted in detentions, injuries, and mass fear in Latino neighborhoods. Among the most disturbing developments was the injury and arrest of SEIU California President David Huerta, who was taken into federal custody after a confrontation with ICE agents.

Top Trump administration officials have labeled demonstrators "insurrectionists" and threatened legal retaliation. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller referred to peaceful protests as a "violent insurrection," and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed to prosecute protestors "to the fullest extent of the law."

"This administration is using militarized immigration enforcement as a political weapon," Palomares continued. "And now, it's using the armed forces against its people — in communities that are already traumatized and under siege."

LULAC echoes the concerns raised by California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who were not consulted before the National Guard deployment and condemned the federal government's decision as inflammatory and unjustified.

"We call on Congress to act immediately," Palomares added. "There must be emergency hearings to investigate the conduct of ICE, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the legality of deploying troops on American soil against civilians without proper authority or oversight."

In response to the escalating crisis, LULAC is supporting an emergency joint briefing convened by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Fight Back Table, and the Not Above The Law Coalition. The briefing will take place Monday, June 9 at 5ET | 2PM PT, and will include remarks from Congressman Jimmy Gomez alongside national and local civil rights leaders. RSVP by clicking HERE

Topics will include the implications of the National Guard deployment on peaceful protest rights nationwide, legal guidance related to the Posse Comitatus Act and the Insurrection Act, and mobilization efforts to defend civil liberties.

To ensure you are able to join the briefing in a timely manner, please RSVP HERE as soon as possible and no later than Monday, June 9, at 4PM ET | 1PM PT in order to receive the Zoom information. All participants must register in order to access the briefing.

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, LULAC is committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latino Americans through advocacy, community building, and education. With a growing network of councils nationwide, LULAC remains steadfast in its mission to protect and empower millions of Latinos, contributing daily to America's prosperity. For more information about LULAC and its initiatives, please visit www.LULAC.org.