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1,700 National Guard Troops Now Operating In Los Angeles; Fourth Night Of L.A. Protesters, Law Enforcement In Riot Gear; Protesters In Other U.S. Cities Rally In Solidarity With L.A. Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired June 10, 2025 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[04:00:36]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. It is Tuesday, June 10th, it's 4:00 a.m. here, 1:00 a.m. in Los Angeles where we are following breaking news at this hour. Night has fallen and protests that had become heated have been dying down in downtown L. A, which is the epicenter of that latest wave of unrest. Law enforcement had been pushing protesters back from a fellow federal building where National Guard troops were lined up with riot shields.

We've also seen objects thrown and flashbangs as well as rubber bullets fired from authorities. This was the fourth night of angry confrontations between demonstrators and authorities in America's second largest city. It's still unclear how many people were detained. Police were seen loading some of them onto buses with their hands zip tied. These struggles on the street coincide with a larger power struggle.

City officials and the state of California condemned the actions of the Trump administration, which sent military forces to respond to protests over raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs officials. On Monday, the Trump administration announced that it is not sending -- it is not just sending another 2,000 national troops to the greater L.A. area. It's also mobilizing 700 U.S. Marines on top of that. Now, all of this without the consent of California's governor or the mayor of Los Angeles. California has filed suit against the White House asking for the deployments to be declared unconstitutional and stopped.

Throughout the protests, we have seen LAPD officers moving crowds to areas that they can better control. They've relied on rubber bullets and other non lethal tactics. Earlier, CNN's Erin Burnett was caught up in the line of fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Here, here, here. Yes. Come, come. OK, OK. Oh, wow.

OK. All right, Abby, so you can see here, all right, oh, you see this? All right. Face off here. A lot of rubber bullets are going off.

You can see they just was a -- hold on, we're behind -- OK. We're just trying to move. These empty canisters obviously are from some of the flashbangs. You can see -- I don't know if you can see behind there, Orlando, can you see them, the police all over that one person, whether that's an arrest. Abby, I don't know if you can see that.

Every once in a while, we have to literally sprint here. OK. All right. All right.

Yes. And you see this, Abby? OK. These are the -- these are the rubber bullets. I'm holding one.

OK. That was just fired over where were. They're firing these at people. OK. That -- the bright blue tops. These that I'm -- sorry, I'm just trying to do this.

I keep the microphone up before it gets really loud if they start firing again, these are what people in the crowd have been firing at the ground. Those cause some of the explosions are like a foam thing. You can smell the explosive on it. That causes the police to immediately respond, and then they charge. And we've seen a lot of people fall.

We actually -- our shot was down for a couple minutes here because we were running a little bit out of breath. Just because you have to get away from them. They just start running. They run and then they start firing a lot of these.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: CNN's Erin Burnett there, giving us an idea of just the intensity of some of these clashes in certain concentrated pockets of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the state's attorney general in California, Rob Bonta, spoke with Erin earlier. This is what he had to say about the federal deployments in his state.

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ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: We always said that the National Guard was not necessary, that local law enforcement, through their own resources and with the potential of mutual aid to add to those resources, didn't need the assistance of the National Guard. If the National Guard was ever needed, the governor of California could make that decision. But the National Guard wasn't needed. They're not needed. We are concerned that their presence can inflame an already sensitive situation, that they could be provocative, that they could increase tensions instead of calm and create peace.

That's what I'm worried about, that the unnecessarily deployed National Guard, as well as the unnecessarily mobilized Marines could actually stoke the flames and increase tension instead of create common peace, which is what we all desire. (END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:05:07]

SANDOVAL: As we mentioned, 700 Marines are being deployed on top of the additional National Guard members that are being sent to Los Angeles. President Trump's border czar Tom Homan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that they will not try to do the job of the LAPD.

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TOM HOMAN, U.S. BORDER CZAR: Well, I think, look, their number one goal, they're not going to be enforcing immigration law. We're doing that. We're immigration officers. But there's two different lanes of effort here. Number one, we got ICE officers along with other Department of Justice agencies, FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals that are out there doing immigration operations.

And we're doing them today, we're going to do them tomorrow, we're going to do them every day we're here. At the same time, you get these protests are getting out of hand where protesters become criminals and public safety threats. So we got the National Guard here in the military. Their job is protection of property and protection of our agents and their lives and their well-being along with the public's well-being. But when these protests get out of hand, that's when the local authorities step in and their job is to maintain public safety and public peace.

And last night, LAPD did a pretty good job out there, you know, trying to quell some of this violence down. So there's two different things going on here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Some live analysis now from retired U.S. Army Major General Mark MacCarley, who is joining us live from Los Angeles.

General, thank you for staying up late for us.

MAK. GEN. MARK MACCARLEY, U.S. ARMY (RET.): My pleasure.

SANDOVAL: Can I get your initial assessment from your military perspective, General, on the president's approach thus far, including deploying yet another wave of National Guard? We've heard LA's police chief saying that they do not need any more support than they already have received. So do you think more military will help the situation on the ground or does it serve to have an opposite effect?

MACCARLEY: Yes, I'm going to have to approach that in two ways. The first is from both personal experience and my background and prior to my service in the United States Army, I was indeed a member of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and as well worked very, very closely with the Los Angeles Police Department. Now, my assessment, both visually observationally, but as well from experience, is that both agencies, these are the primary law enforcement agencies in the county of Los Angeles, the city of Los Angeles, are doing an adequate, if not a superlative job in maintaining order and taking action against those demonstrators who have crossed the line from peaceful protests to violent activity.

But that said, this -- when we address the second part of your question is far more related to the political landscape. And as I see it, I think the president has and certainly has stated this, wants to make a statement that he is focused, laser focused on moving ahead with the enforcement of the immigration laws in this particular county. And to do that in a city that is a sanctuary city, in a county that's a sanctuary county, he has opted to move forward and show force, it's called demonstration of force. And he's done it first by taking the state militia, and I use that word in order to create some understanding, the National Guard is not a federal military force. Guards are part of the respective states or territories.

But the president has opted to use a specific statute that allows him, under certain very rare circumstances to mobilize the very same state soldiers, make them federal assets, and then cause them to be controlled, what we call command and controlled by the federal government, that's one. And then coupled with that, and what you just mentioned is to incorporate in this big picture the presence of the Marines. And I think this is more for optics, meaning that the Marines, God bless them, have established over the course of time, history in this great nation that they are very aggressive, first to fight up there, do what is necessary, and in a lot of cases engender a certain amount of apprehension or indeed fear on those against whom they're facing. So to just even make the announcement that the United States Marines are going to make a beachhead, so to speak, in the center of Los Angeles is itself intimidating. So this relates, once again to a political objective, and that objective has been discussed repeatedly, and that is to move forward with the removal of undocumented people within this county.

[04:10:14]

SANDOVAL: And off of that last point, General, just briefly speaking about morale or what you expect to be the morale among some of these, you know, remarkable individuals as well, especially in the military here, what do you expect it's going to be like, especially when you're talking about this mission and these individuals being deployed to an area where local officials, many, I should say, many local officials have said that their presence is unnecessary. So how do they go about in fulfilling their mission?

MACCARLEY: There's a real simple answer to that. It's what we all subscribe to. And having been a member of our Army for 31 years, I can say it's all about that statement, duty. You swear allegiance to the United States federal government. When you join the Marine Corps, the Army, the Navy, Air Force, you come forward and you obey orders.

And for that wonderful, or to use this other description, simple soldier or Marine, his or her objective is to do what they are instructed to do. Now, whether they've got some personal antipathy or animosity toward the specific assignment that has to remain with them because they have opted to become a member of that Marine Corps or National Guard. So, yes, I'm certainly in concurrence with you, agreement with you, that there are going to be a multiplicity of emotions on the part of those young Marines and young soldiers, some of whom actually came and come from that particular area. I know that the -- some of the soldiers, the National Guard, some of those soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade, they're living in the county. And in part that is an asset that has been located in the county of Los Angeles and parts of Orange County for years and years and years.

So these people are part of the community. So, yes, they'll have some concern.

SANDOVAL: Which is why I ask. General, thank you so much, sir, for offering your insight and certainly for your service not only in the military, but as former law enforcement as well.

MACCARLEY: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: Well, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says that the Department of Justice has opened nine cases related to the Los Angeles immigration protests. She promised to crack down on protesters, but didn't say whether charges had actually been filed. CNN has reached out to the Department of Justice for more clarification.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We can prosecute federally people who assault state law enforcement officers with a maximum of five years in prison. And we are going to do it. We are going to prosecute them federally. If California won't protect their law enforcement, we will protect the LAPD and the sheriff's office out there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: A U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem claiming that the Los Angeles protests are, quote, "Professionally done," in her words. She provided no evidence. There's evidence on that, though. And CNN has contacted her department for more details. Here's more of what she said.

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KRISTI NOEM, U.S. SECRETARY HOMELAND SECURITY: These are organized. These are people that are being paid to do this. You can follow how they behave, the signals they give to each other in these crowds and these protests to instigate violence. This is an operation and it's professionally done. They've done it before.

And we're going to stop it and make sure that we prosecute every single one of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[04:13:47]

SANDOVAL: And Los Angeles is not alone in experiencing some of these demonstrations. Protests against ICE also turning violence in the Lone Star State, specifically in Dallas. We're going to be speaking live with an organizer of one of those demonstrations after the break.

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SANDOVAL: And welcome back. You're watching CNN's breaking news coverage of the fourth night of protests against immigration raids in the city of Los Angeles. In just the last few hours, CNN has witnessed police boxing in protesters at one site and also arresting people. Some protesters were throwing objects at law enforcement and they also -- law enforcement in turn using rubber bullets and tear gas in return to try to control the situation. And away from the streets, an escalation in the battle between President Trump and local officials in California.

The President now deploying 2,000 more National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles. That's despite the state of California filing a lawsuit against Trump administration asking a judge to declare the deployments unconstitutional.

Los Angeles not the only American city where protesters are taking to the streets. Demonstrators in downtown Atlanta gathering outside the ICE building and calling for the release of detainees. People in Seattle, Washington, also rallying outside city hall for the release of labor leader David Huerta. And in Manhattan, police there making arrests when protesters blocked some of the streets. In New York, demonstrators carrying signs calling for the rejection of fascism as you see there.

They were also arrested for violating traffic laws. And in Texas, crowds gathering in Dallas to express solidarity with Los Angeles amid demonstrations against immigration raids. They carried signs and also waved both U.S. and Mexican flags, among others, in support of the people arrested and detained in recent days.

[04:20:04]

Let's go now to Antonio Rodriguez. He's the organizer for the Brown Berets Immigration Advocacy Group, and he joins us live from Dallas.

Antonio, it's good to have you with us this morning.

ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ, BROWN BERETS ORGANIZER: Thank you for having me.

SANDOVAL: Antonio, I remember in 2016 being on the streets here in New York and other American cities covering a wave of demonstrations triggered by President Trump's immigration policies, looking back on previous chapters and comparing it to what we're seeing right now in Los Angeles and in cities throughout the countries we just saw, what's different now in terms of the mood among demonstrators and their demands?

RODRIGUEZ: I think it's just everyone's feeling so many doors closing, so many things being turned against you, you know, like your taxes, and so many things that people thought were safe ways to be here, you know, are being ripped away. So, you know, it's -- you know --

SANDOVAL: Yes. RODRIGUEZ: -- squeezing. I think it's just a natural reaction people are having right now.

SANDOVAL: Antonio, what do you tell some of your fellow advocates when they are preparing to take to the streets and to, you know, peacefully assemble? What is your message to them to try to make sure that no violence distracts from their concerns that they want addressed by the Trump administration?

RODRIGUEZ: I mean, it's always hard, right? You're calling people out and, I mean, you're giving them a space, you know that there's a lot of anger, there's fear, right? So you're working through all this, and you try to be safe, but, you know, the people are -- you know, you can't stand in their way either, right? So they have -- we feel that they have a right to express them, you know, to express themselves and to show their anger, you know?

One thing I would like to add is that, you know, what you're seeing on the screens and all that, that's been happening in our communities, in our homes, right? So we've seen destruction and chaos in our homes. So I feel it's being manifested in the streets. The response, right, is a defense.

SANDOVAL: In terms of a possible tipping point that really galvanized people and made them want to take to the streets in protest. Do you believe that it's perhaps the Trump administration widening their sights to include more than just undocumented people with violent criminal history? We have seen time and time again now from students with visa issues or families who were showing up to their hearings for -- to check in with immigration authorities be deported. Do you believe that maybe that was one of the key moments that really called on people to do what they've been doing the last few days?

RODRIGUEZ: Yes. Again, so many doors are being closed, right? So maybe someone that wouldn't go to a demonstration because they're going through the process, so they might feel that the system's working, right? So, so many people are seeing it fail. And Trump promised mass deportations, right. So we always knew this was coming, so that it was just him widening the net.

SANDOVAL: And when you see this virtual, we're seeing some pictures right now as you speak to us from Dallas, and you see a lot of people with a multitude of flags, you see some American flags, you even see some Palestinian flags, but also you see a lot of Mexican flags. Tell me about the importance of people's Mexican identity as they sort of walk those cultural lines between being American and also standing in solidarity with their Mexican families.

RODRIGUEZ: You know, I believe it's a key. It's the key to what unites us, our culture. Something we're proud of, right? I mean, something we rally behind, right? So it's a strength for us.

And I don't necessarily think just because somebody has pride in their culture that they're un-American, right? I don't think those two things are connected. You know, it might be put out that way, you know, but waving a Mexican flag, you know, for us is showing pride in our culture and our family.

SANDOVAL: And real quickly, Antonio, before we let you go and hopefully get some sleep here, tell us a little bit about how long you expect these demonstrations to continue in Los Angeles and certainly in your city, in Dallas.

RODRIGUEZ: I think we're going to keep seeing them. Just we don't think that Trump's going to stop, that these ICE raids are going to stop. So I believe we probably going to expect more protests, more demonstrations.

SANDOVAL: Well, do stay safe, Antonio. Thank you so much for taking time to speak to us. Antonio Rodriguez in Dallas. Appreciate you.

[04:25:00]

RODRIGUEZ: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: Our pleasure.

And so to come this very busy morning, more on the protests over federal immigration raids and the Trump administration's deployment of the National Guard troops and Marines on top of that. We're going to have the latest after this break.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back to Early Start. A union leader whose arrest gained the attention of Washington lawmakers has been released from federal custody. His name is David Huerta.

[04:30:00]