The Democratic Governors Association releases a statement condemning the Trump Administration's use of the California National Guard and the U.S. Marines is response to the ongoing anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.

 

The letter calls the move ineffective and dangerous and an alarming abuse of power. The 22 Democrat governors who signed the statement said they stand with California Governor Gavin Newsom's stance that violence is unacceptable but that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without interference and intimidation by the federal government.

 

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly also signed onto the statement. Kelly serves as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association.

 

Here is the full text of the statement:

 

Statement from Democratic Governors on Donald Trump’s Use of California’s National Guard

 

DGA Chair Governor Laura Kelly, DGA Vice Chair Governor Andy Beshear, Governor Tony Evers, Governor Bob Ferguson, Governor Josh Green, Governor Maura Healey, Governor Katie Hobbs, Governor Kathy Hochul, Governor Tina Kotek, Governor Ned Lamont, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor Dan McKee, Governor Matt Meyer, Governor Janet Mills, Governor Wes Moore, Governor Phil Murphy, Governor Jared Polis, Governor JB Pritzker, Governor Josh Shapiro, Governor Josh Stein, Governor Tim Walz, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement:

 

“President Trump’s move to deploy California’s National Guard is an alarming abuse of power. Governors are the Commanders in Chief of their National Guard and the federal government activating them in their own borders without consulting or working with a state’s governor is ineffective and dangerous.

 

“Further, threatening to send the U.S. Marines into American neighborhoods undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.

 

“It’s important we respect the executive authority of our country’s governors to manage their National Guards — and we stand with Governor Newsom who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.”