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Kilmar Abrego Garcia Returned to United States; California Threatens to Sue Over National Guard Deployment; Interview With Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired June 09, 2025 - 11:00   ET

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

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PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now, breaking news: chaos in California. Protests erupt in Los Angeles over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, as the president uses his power to deploy the National Guard and defy California's governor.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BLITZER: And we begin this hour with the breaking news in downtown Los Angeles. Police have declared it an unlawful assembly area, as protests over immigration raids are now in their fourth day, with bursts of violence and vandalism.

At least five police officers have been injured.

BROWN: President Trump has called up 2,000 National Guard troops to protect federal personnel and property. Another 500 U.S. Marines are standing by.

It's the first time in about 60 years that a president has done this without a governor's consent, and some local and state leaders say it could inflame the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MORENO, PARAMOUNT, CALIFORNIA, CITY MANAGER: It does promote a little bit of fear and uncertainty in the residents of Paramount if they do see that there. So, yes, it does create that and it does have a ripple effect throughout our city when community members are fearful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Let's go live now to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Hi, Mayor. Thank you so much for joining us.

KAREN BASS (D), MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hi.

BROWN: Hi.

BASS: Thank you for having me on.

BROWN: So what are you and your police force -- I know how busy you are -- preparing for the hours ahead, what are you expecting on that front?

BASS: Well, I just have to say that, if you dial back time and go to Friday, if immigration raids had not happened here, we would not have the disorder that went on last night.

I will tell you that it is peaceful now, but we do not know where and when the next raids will be. That is the concern, because people in the city have a rapid-response network. If they see ICE, they go out and they protest.

And so it's just a recipe for pandemonium that is completely unnecessary. Nothing was happening here. Los Angeles was peaceful before Friday. When we find out when and where the other raids are going to happen, that will determine how the police respond.

BLITZER: Mayor Bass, it's Wolf Blitzer here in THE SITUATION ROOM as well.

The state of California, as you well know, is expected to file a formal lawsuit over President Trump's deployment of the National Guard perhaps as early as today. Your own police chief says the level of violence he's seeing in Los Angeles is -- quote -- "disgusting."

So why not welcome more boots on the ground?

BASS: Well, no, I think the issue here is state power and state sovereignty.

And so we do not believe -- and what the governor is doing is separate from what's happening in the city. But what was the reason that the president had to take the power from the governor and federalize the National Guard?

The night before this action was taken, there was a protest that got a little unruly late at night. It was 100 people; 27 people were arrested. There wasn't a reason for this. That is the concern. And if there was, the way it happens traditionally is, is that requests are made on the local level of the governor to send National Guard troops.

No request came from the city of Los Angeles. What has happened now is an entirely different situation.

[11:05:03] BLITZER: And speaking of now, there are also, what, about 500 active- duty U.S. Marines over at Camp Pendleton, not too far away, awaiting possible orders to mobilize.

BASS: For what? Right. And for...

BLITZER: Governor Newsom has said that -- yes, let me just point out, Mayor, Governor Newsom has said that President Trump is -- quote -- "putting fuel on the fire."

And you have called the deployment of National Guard troops to your city a chaotic escalation. Why is this an escalation?

BASS: Well, again, it's an escalation that didn't have to happen. Why were there raids? We had been told that he was going to go after violent criminals.

It wasn't a drug den. It was a Home Depot. It was places where people are working. So what was the point of doing this? And then knowing that, in a city like Los Angeles -- and we had talked about this for a long time -- that has a very sophisticated, long-term immigrant rights organizations and institutions that, if these random raids were going to happen, then there was going to be the danger of a backlash.

And you add on to that the National Guard, and it felt like fuel for a fire that was unnecessary.

BROWN: Given the point where it has escalated to, do you think the National Guard is needed now?

BASS: No, I don't think the National Guard is needed now. Things in L.A. are calm. I will tell you that I'm saddened by the extent of the vandalism in the form of graffiti all through the downtown area.

But it is important for people to know that, even in downtown, this is isolated to a few streets. This is not citywide civil unrest taking place in Los Angeles, a few streets downtown. It looks horrible. People committed crimes. It is absolutely unacceptable. And those people that set cars on fire or did other forms of vandalism will be sought to be arrested and prosecuted.

This is not the way to promote a cause like immigrant rights.

BROWN: All right, I want to play some sound from Police Chief Jim McDonnell. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM MCDONNELL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, POLICE CHIEF: This violence that I have seen is disgusting. It's escalated now since the beginning of this incident.

What we saw the first night was bad. What we have seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent. Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you. And we have adapted our tactics to be able to have a chance to be able to take these people into custody and to be able to hold them accountable.

We are overwhelmed as far as the number of people out there engaged in this type of activity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So you had officers injured. We also heard Police Chief McDonnell talk about officers being targeted with multiple cocktails, fireworks, rocks, other projectiles.

He has also said that he's overwhelmed by the number of protesters. What are you doing as mayor to make sure your police force has what it needs right now?

BASS: Well, first of all, I'm completely in sync with the police chief.

And let me just add that some people might think, because they don't get arrested right on the spot, that they have gotten away with something. And the message that I would send is, is that there's tons of videotape. And people who didn't get arrested today for committing violent acts, don't plan on the fact that you get off, because you can be arrested in the next few days and next few weeks.

So it is completely unacceptable. And those people that commit crimes will be arrested and prosecuted. I am completely in alignment with that. I know that, when help is needed, that the police chief will call on that help, mutual aid from other cities or from the sheriff's department when that is needed.

But I hope that it is not needed anymore. The raids should stop, especially on people's workplaces, the impact that that can have on our local economy. We are a city of immigrants. And I worry about the people who were detained on Friday whose families still have not been able to reach out to them. The lawyers have not been able to go in and deal with their clients.

This is unprecedented. This has not happened before. And so, again, you want to talk about chaos. Well, this is what contributes to chaos, policies like that.

BROWN: And, certainly -- there are due process concerns, certainly.

But back to what we just heard from the LAPD chief, you said that you're totally in sync with the police chief. He is saying that he's overwhelmed, that his forces are overwhelmed. What more do you need to hear from him to bring in more resources to bring him the support that he is saying he needs?

BASS: Well, what I was saying is, is that the support he has called on, and he has received that support from the sheriff's department and from other police departments.

And so I do not believe that he was describing a situation where we cannot bring it under control here. I think you should talk to him a little bit further. But what we are seeing, for example, there is nothing happening on our streets now.

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On Saturday, when this decision was being contemplated, there was nothing happening on our streets. As I mentioned, that evening, there was a protest that got out of hand. It was a protest of 100 people. None of that warrants federal intervention.

And that is my point.

BROWN: Right, but you also acknowledge that you don't know when there -- if there's going to be other immigration raids in the city.

BASS: Right.

BROWN: So, that raises the question, what are you doing to prepare for that potential scenario? There could be more violence ahead.

BASS: Well, you know what, it is a very difficult thing to plan. We have 88 cities in our county. The raids could take place anywhere. They don't have to take place in Los Angeles.

For example, the unrest that you saw on Saturday was happening in an adjacent city. It wasn't Los Angeles. It was the city of Paramount. So it is very difficult to prepare for something when you have absolutely no idea when and where it is going to take place.

BLITZER: You know, Mayor, the Trump border czar, Tom Homan, has now walked back some comments suggesting that you or Governor Newsom, for that matter, could face arrest if you obstruct federal authorities.

How do you respond to Homan? And do you have any concerns potentially about being arrested?

BASS: No, I'm not concerned about being arrested. And I can't imagine an opportunity, I can't imagine a situation where I am going to interfere with federal agents.

So it was something that was inappropriate to say. And what I am going to focus on is bringing our city together. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided. We are an international city. The diaspora from just about every country in the world lives here. And so this is a time to stand together.

And it's also a time to appeal to the administration, please dial this back. This was not necessary. It has created a sense of fear. It feels deliberate. It's like, how can I deliberately create chaos in a city? Nobody needs that right now.

BLITZER: Have the protests, Mayor, impacted police responses to other parts of your big city?

BASS: No, I do not believe that is the case. Again, I will reemphasize that what you are watching is taking place on a few streets downtown. Obviously, it is terrible, what you are looking at, but I don't want

people to leave with the perception that the city of Los Angeles is experiencing citywide unrest. Nothing could be further from the truth.

BROWN: I want to share the CBS poll. It shows 54 percent of Americans approve of the Trump administration's program to deport illegal immigrants. A minority, 46 percent, disapprove.

Are Democrats out of touch on this issue?

BASS: Well, I think, if you did the polling in Los Angeles, I'm not sure it would be that way, considering we are a city of immigrants.

And then people might approve that policy, but do people really approve the federal government coming in and seizing power from a state and from a city? So I would drill down a little further on that poll, because I do not believe that Americans support the federal intervention and a city takeover or a state takeover.

BROWN: Right.

And just to be clear, the poll talks about American sentiment as it pertains to illegal immigration, but it does say that the majority of Americans, we should note, disapprove of sort of the -- some of the tactics that are being used, to your point, Mayor Bass.

Thank you so much for joining the show.

BASS: Thank you for having me on.

BROWN: And still ahead: President Trump deploying the National Guard to California without the governor's sign-off. Gavin Newsom now says he plans to sue.

BLITZER: And the Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador is finally back on U.S. soil, but now he's facing federal charges.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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BLITZER: California's governor once again threatening to sue the White House after President Trump sent the National Guard into the state without his consent.

Gavin Newsom posting this morning on X, he said this: "The order he signed doesn't just apply to California. It will allow him to go into any state and do the same thing. We're suing him" -- close quote.

CNN chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny is here with me in THE SITUATION ROOM.

So how's the White House responding to Newsom's threat of a lawsuit? JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as of

yet, we have not heard directly from the president on this. He will be returning to the White House from some meetings at Camp David likely in the next hour or so. So I do expect him to respond.

But, look, the reality here is, this is a long-simmering feud between the California governor and the president. They have feuded, of course, over wildfires, over tariffs and trade issues. But this is something that the administration has essentially -- many Democrats have criticized the administration for wanting to pick this exact fight on immigration in blue states, et cetera. So we will see how the president responds to a lawsuit.

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But, look, this is the very first time the president, a president has called up the National Guard without a governor's consent since the civil rights era in the '60s. So that's why this is so significant here.

But the president as of yet has not responded, other than trying to say that he's trying to bring calm to Los Angeles. The officials there, as you just heard from the mayor, suggests it's quite the opposite. They believe that these actions have inflamed the tensions.

BLITZER: How does all this fit into the bigger picture of Trump's wider immigration crackdown?

ZELENY: Look, I think this is something that there have been some challenges here with the Trump agenda, obviously the fights with Elon Musk, et cetera.

This are -- some White House officials, administration officials are eager to have this be the narrative of the immigration stance. They want to show that they are taking a hard-line approach here. So this is something that -- this is the fight that they have been waiting for in some respects. We will see where it goes today.

But the administration has struggled to meet their quota for some immigration arrests. The border is much more secure than it has been. So that is what -- one of the underlying factors.

But in terms of what the governor said, he said that -- essentially warning this could happen in other blue states. That is the central question here. If protests happen in Chicago, if they happen in other blue states, will the same thing happen? Will the White House send in troops as well?

Let's hope we don't have a summer of protests again, like we have certainly seen before, but it certainly is beginning like that.

BLITZER: But Trump and his supporters think this is a winning political issue for him, the issue of illegal immigration.

ZELENY: They certainly do, and the issue of lawlessness, if you will, the issue of civil unrest. Let's not call it a riot because we have obviously seen Los Angeles

riots over the years. This is not that, but certainly there's unlawful behavior going on. So, absolutely, from a pure political point of view, this plays directly into the strength hand that the president tries to show.

And Democrats, of course, are on the side of the peaceful protesters, they say, but it's very complicated. So, boiled down, the administration is just fine with images exactly like this.

BLITZER: Interesting.

All right, Jeff Zeleny, thank you very, very much -- Pamela.

BROWN: All right, Wolf, for more on this, let's bring in CNN legal and national security analyst Carrie Cordero.

Carrie, what is your reaction to the National Guard deployment?

CARRIE CORDERO, CNN LEGAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, this is a scenario that, actually, Pam, in my work at the Center For a New American Security, we previewed in some work that we did last year in a report that we put out, where this potential collision between authorities of the president and authorities of a governor could potentially play out in a protest-type scenario.

The governor has now said that he is going to litigate. And I think that is because, in this particular situation, the president has not invoked the Insurrection Act, which then would place the National Guard under his authority. And, instead, he has relied on a lesser- used protective authority argument.

And so that provides an opportunity for the state to litigate. But, at the same time, even if there is protracted litigation, which now could take place between the governor of California and the president, that doesn't solve the current urgent issue, which is, number one, how to bring public safety to these isolated incidents where there is violence, and, two, avoid any dispute between the authorities of the president over the National Guard and the governor over the National Guard.

BROWN: And the National -- in terms of the National Guard, Governor Newsom says he is going to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration. Do you think that Newsom will prevail on that front?

CORDERO: Well, again, I think it is an area that is going to be really untested, and so -- because the president did not invoke the Insurrection Act.

As Jeff Zeleny mentioned in his report, there is a historical president for the president to -- a president to use National Guard, but it was in the context of the civil rights era. So, both in the 1950s and in the 1960s, presidents federalized the National Guard in order to enforce the civil rights laws.

A seminal moment in that was in the 1950s, when the president authorized to actually enforce Brown v. Board of Education. So this is a different situation with a different factual scenario. There is actually, Pam, a graceful way that the president and the governor could avoid that type of constitutional showdown and that -- constitutional showdown.

And that would be for the president to not continue with his federalization of the National Guard, but actually enable the governor to retain his command and control over the National Guard, but perform this federal mission.

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And that would be a thing that would currently be under understood legal frameworks for using the National Guard.

BROWN: And you mentioned the Insurrection Act. The president has not ruled out invoking it.

How would that change what we're seeing play out now?

CORDERO: From a legal perspective, that would be a more clear path for the National Guard to operate under federal authority.

So I think that would place us back into what is a more understood legal framework, because that act is an act passed by Congress, actually, of course, and it is a recognized authority for the president to be able to be used. But -- and so I think he will hold that out.

However, the factual scenario needs to match the invocation of using the Insurrection Act. So, based on the reporting that is coming out of L.A. so far, including the interview that was just conducted with the mayor of L.A., it doesn't sound to me at this point that the factual scenario on the ground would justify the use of the Insurrection Act.

BROWN: All right. I want to pivot to the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who is back in the U.S., but now facing federal criminal charges, including allegations that he conspired to transport thousands of undocumented migrants as far back as 2016.

Does anything stand out to you from these latest developments?

CORDERO: So, on one hand, there is what I will characterize as a positive development, from my perspective, which is that he is out of a foreign prison and he is now into a system of legal process.

One can argue whether or not the administration and the Justice Department is using these charges to simply keep him detained, but at least he is no longer in the custody of a foreign government after a removal from the United States that, even by the government's admission, was not proper.

And so we now actually have him back into the U.S. legal system. So I see that as a positive. At the same time, these are pretty significant charges that have been brought against him. And so this now will take place in a much longer criminal legal proceeding against him. BROWN: And it was interesting because, when he was first released, it

was during Trump's first term, right? And, at that point, officials in Trump's administration did not challenge his release. And now this is playing out. So that is worth noting.

Carrie Cordero, thank you so much.

CORDERO: Thanks, Pam -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And up next: National Guard has been on the ground right now in Los Angeles and U.S. Marines are on standby. Now President Trump is calling on the LAPD to -- quote -- "bring in the troops."

We're talking to the city's former police chief. That's next.

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