Dear John,

I want to share my thoughts on the unrest in Los Angeles, the protests and the Trump Administration’s response. First, I want to condemn the Trump Administration for forcibly removing California Senator Alex Padilla from a press conference, pinning him to the ground and preventing him from asking questions on your behalf, and on behalf of the other 40 million Californians he represents. This is a disgrace and it is un-American. This Administration’s chaos and corruption are out of control.

Across the country and in our community, families are being torn apart and both American citizens and non-citizens alike are being unfairly targeted by the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. Horrifyingly, the Trump Administration has also deported American citizens.

However, I have also been very clear that violence, looting and the destruction of property are illegal and anyone found guilty of these crimes should be punished. I fully support the First Amendment and the right of every American to peacefully protest. As an elected official, my job is to represent all of my constituents, even those who might disagree with the votes I take or my beliefs. That’s what makes America and our Democracy great. I believe in securing the border and focusing on deporting undocumented criminals who pose a danger to our communities. But many of these peaceful protests, including in our community, are in response to American citizens being illegally deported, families being separated and federal law enforcement ignoring the constitutionally-protected right to due process.

I’ve been briefed on the law enforcement activity in Los Angeles every step of the way, and I believe that the state and local law enforcement officers are doing an incredible job of maintaining law and order in the city. They deserve our respect and our gratitude. The decision by President Trump to mobilize the National Guard, even after Governor Newsom said it was not necessary, was incredibly short-sighted. Trump’s own Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, said just a year ago that federalizing the National Guard without approval of the Governor would be an unconstitutional attack on states’ rights.

Because of the chaotic nature of their deployment, the military was unprepared and these troops were forced to sleep on the ground in federal office buildings. The subsequent decision to deploy United States Marines to Los Angeles is a dangerous escalation that is only making things worse. In the United States of America, we do not send our military to respond to domestic activity, particularly protests. The Los Angeles Police Department has said this will make it harder to ensure public safety, not easier. President Trump has made no secret of the fact that he wants to punish Californians for not voting for him, but this latest escalation is making everyone less safe.

Last week, the Secretary of Defense testified before the House Appropriations Committee. I asked him how much this deployment is going to cost. His answer was shocking: $134 million in taxpayer dollars. That funding could be used to update housing and medical facilities for our soldiers. It’s wasteful and it amounts to a very expensive distraction. 

You can watch the video of me questioning Secretary Hegseth here.

It’s obvious what the President is doing here. He wanted to create a distraction from his plan to throw 16 million people off their health insurance to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. This legislation is being considered by the Senate and, if signed into law, could impact as many as 400,000 people in our community. I voted against this bill, which will force people to go to the emergency room for routine medical care, will cut funding for hospitals and nursing homes, and will drive up the cost of health care for everyone. President Trump doesn’t want to talk about this and is using the protests to distract from his failing agenda.

Rest assured that as your Representative in Congress, I will always stand up for your constitutional rights of due process, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

Thanks,