Border Patrol Presence at Newsom Rally in Los Angeles Leads to Arrest

Boarder Patrol Offers show up to Gavin Newsom’s press conference nearly 120 miles from the boarder.

U.S. Border Patrol agents were stationed outside an anti-Trump rally hosted by California Governor Gavin Newsom in Los Angeles on Thursday, making at least one arrest, according to video footage from a local television affiliate. The event, called “Liberation Day” by Newsom, was organized in response to Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas.

Governor Newsom, a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump, addressed attendees at the rally and commented on the federal agents’ presence. Various online videos show more than a dozen armed and masked Border Patrol officers outside the venue, with one man led away in handcuffs.

Speaking to reporters, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino said the agency was there “making Los Angeles a safer place” and indicated that they intended to remain active in the area. When asked about Governor Newsom, Bovino reiterated that their focus was on public safety.

Newsom, during his remarks, suggested the timing and location of the Border Patrol operation were connected to political motives. He told the crowd that “dozens and dozens of ICE agents” were positioned outside and questioned whether the arrests were “indiscriminate.”

In a statement to the press, Newsom’s office criticized the presence of federal agents at the event. On social media, his press team claimed that “Trump’s private army” was operating illegally on private property.