Tri-Caucus Leaders Condemn Trump’s Deployment of Troops Amid Immigration Raids

Leaders of the Congressional Tri-Caucus condemned President Donald Trump’s recent deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles, denouncing it as an abuse of executive power aimed at intimidating immigrant communities.

At an emergency press conference in Washington, D.C., Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) spoke forcefully against the administration’s immigration crackdown.

“Like millions of Americans, I am deeply concerned by the administration’s use of aggressive tactics against immigrant communities,” said Rep. Meng. “Armed agents have raided schools, workplaces, and homes—terrorizing our neighbors and tearing families apart. This is not about public safety. This is about exerting control and striking fear in immigrant communities.”

Meng vowed that Members of Congress would continue exercising their constitutional oversight authority over detention centers and immigration enforcement, emphasizing the need for policies that reflect America’s values of fairness and dignity—not “cruelty disguised as law and order.”

The Trump administration’s deployment of up to 4,000 National Guard troops to California—without the request or consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom—marks the first time since 1965 that a president has activated a state’s National Guard without the approval of its governor. The move came in response to growing protests in Los Angeles after reports of intensified immigration raids targeting migrant workers.

The deployment has been widely criticized by state and local officials, including Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell, who said that the federal military presence presents a “significant logistical and operational challenge” for local police tasked with maintaining order in the city.

President Trump further escalated the situation by ordering an additional 700 U.S. Marines to join the National Guard troops. The Pentagon has estimated that the cost of deploying both the National Guard and Marines will reach $134 million—an expense some lawmakers have labeled wasteful and unnecessary.

Rep. Clarke described Trump’s decision as a “reckless and inflammatory escalation” designed to provoke unrest, not restore peace. “He is posturing as a strongman—desperate, dangerous, and utterly detached from the principles of democracy,” Clarke said. “This is a direct attack on civil rights, due process, and our democratic norms, targeting Black communities and communities of color.”

Rep. Espaillat highlighted what he called deliberate entrapment by immigration authorities. “People who are trying to comply with the law are being trapped in courtrooms and ICE offices,” he said. “That’s why people took to the streets. That’s why members of Congress went to ICE facilities—to fulfill our oversight responsibilities. And yet, we were denied entry. We will keep going back until we know exactly what’s happening inside.”

The controversy surrounding the military deployment adds to growing national tensions over immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Civil rights groups and immigrant advocacy organizations have accused the administration of weaponizing federal agencies to suppress dissent and intimidate vulnerable populations.

As protests in Los Angeles continue, congressional leaders say they remain committed to demanding transparency, protecting immigrant families, and upholding democratic principles in the face of what they call “executive overreach.”