Federal agents were in attendance as Gov. Gavin Newsom took to downtown Los Angeles Thursday to promote his redistricting plan.
Newsom, who has proposed changing California’s congressional districts to offset a similar action by Republican-controlled Texas, spoke at the Japanese American National Museum.
Just outside in the Little Tokyo area, however, about 100 federal agents gathered, presumably for another immigration raid.
Newsom’s Office took to social media to announce the agents’ presence using a tone and format often associated with President Donald Trump.
“BORDER PATROL HAS SHOWED UP AT OUR BIG BEAUTIFUL PRESS CONFERENCE! WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED!,” the post said.
The Los Angeles Police Department warned of traffic impacts in the area as a result.
Mayor Karen Bass spoke with reporters shortly after the visit by federal agents, explaining that “there’s no way this was a coincidence,” as the press conference was widely publicized.
“They decided they were going to come and thumb their nose in front of the governor’s face,” she said. “Why would you do that? That is unbelievably disrespectful, it’s a provocative act. They’re talking about disorder in Los Angeles, and they are the source of the disorder in Los Angeles right now.”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin disputed that agents were there for Newsom, arguing that “CBP patrols all areas of Los Angeles every day with over 40 teams on the ground to make LA safe.”
“Our law enforcement operations are about enforcing the law—not about Gavin Newsom,” she added.
