Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has sharply criticized the Trump administration’s handling of immigration protests in California, calling the decision to deploy the National Guard a “dangerous escalation” and part of a “cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.”
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Harris condemned President Donald Trump’s latest federal response to the growing unrest over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Southern California.
“Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos,” Harris wrote. “In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration’s cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.”
Her remarks follow President Trump’s recent signing of a memorandum authorizing the deployment of 2,000 National Guardsmen to California. The White House justified the move as necessary to “address the lawlessness” surrounding ongoing demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement actions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the deployment, stating it was meant to restore “order” amid growing defiance of ICE activity in major California cities.
The federal action has drawn strong backlash from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who publicly urged the administration to rescind the deployment order, warning it would only heighten tensions.
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“This is not about public safety—it’s a politically motivated move designed to take over the California National Guard,” Newsom said in a statement. “It’s purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.”
Protests have intensified in Los Angeles and other parts of the state following a wave of ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants. Civil rights groups and immigrant advocacy organizations have denounced the raids as excessive and inhumane, while demonstrations have blocked roads and disrupted federal operations.
Trump’s supporters argue the federal government is responding appropriately to what they see as a breakdown in law and order.
As the standoff deepens between Washington and Sacramento, Kamala Harris’s comments have added a prominent voice to the opposition, signaling that immigration and federal overreach could remain flashpoints in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.