[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 10, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3297-S3298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Los Angeles Protests

  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to reiterate my objection to 
Donald Trump's EPA nominations and Republicans' unprecedented attacks 
not only on California's climate leadership but on the rules and 
procedures of this body. But before I do that, I want first to address 
what has unfolded in my hometown of Los Angeles over the last several 
days.
  Now, in my opinion, it is not a coincidence, after one of the most 
embarrassing weeks, to be sure, of the Trump Presidency and as the 
public has continued to learn the truth about the budget reconciliation 
bill that would cut healthcare for so many working families across the 
country in order to pay for further tax breaks for the most wealthy in 
America--I am sure he didn't appreciate us shining a light on that--and 
as we continue to see the impact of his failed tariff wars and the 
increasing costs on those same working families and, of course, the 
attention that his breakup with Elon Musk got--it was not a good week 
for the President.
  So, just as he has done so many times before, when things are going 
bad, when all else fails, what does he do? Classic Trump playbook: He 
turns to scapegoating immigrants. And he decided that this was the time 
to launch indiscriminate ICE raids throughout the Los Angeles region, 
clearly not just targeting criminals but so many others--ICE raids in 
workplaces--in an attempt to manufacture a crisis.
  Colleagues, for the first time since 1965, the President federalized 
the National Guard without the Governor's approval, without the request 
of the Governor, in order to create chaos, in order to escalate 
tensions in the region and to create a pretext for more extreme actions 
in the future.
  So let's be clear. What you are all seeing on the news about the Los 
Angeles region right now is a crisis that Donald Trump has created, and 
he is doing it to distract from his failed agenda.
  To those back in California who are watching, I have a couple of 
messages. No. 1, please peacefully protest. You have a right to 
peacefully protest. No. 2, let's not give the President what he wants. 
There are two things he wants. He either wants us to be quiet and go 
away and let him continue to overreach and abuse his power--we will not 
stand for that. We have First Amendment rights. So let's peacefully 
protest.
  Second, for those who think this is an opportunity to exploit and to 
turn violent, to vandalize, that is exactly what Donald Trump wants--
any excuse, large or small, to continue to escalate his use of force. 
Let's not give him that.
  To the rest of the country, I urge you to see this for what it is, 
because when the headline turns on Donald Trump, Donald Trump turns on 
the American

[[Page S3298]]

people. And the truth is, California is no stranger to Trump's 
playbook. We have seen it before--which brings me back to the point I 
have today about the EPA nomination.

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