[Pages S3327-S3328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Los Angeles Protests

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, when Americans turn on their TV sets and 
see what is happening on the streets of Los Angeles, I believe the 
American people feel sickened, horrified, and outraged. Yet we stood 
here and saw the minority leader of the U.S. Senate come to this floor 
this morning and he said that these were overwhelmingly peaceful. Nancy 
Pelosi yesterday said they were just moments of exuberance. Do they not 
see the news? Do they not watch the news?
  Let's look at the New York Times front-page story. This is a burning 
police car. These are people on an overhead looking down on it. The 
headline is ``Protesters burned a Highway Patrol vehicle . . . in Los 
Angeles.''
  Peaceful protests? Absolutely not. These are riots. They threaten the 
public safety, and my Democrat colleagues call them peaceful.
  I have been saying for the last 4 years the Democrats are wrong on 
this, that, and the next thing, and this is something that the American 
people absolutely understand: The Democrats are wrong. These are not 
peaceful. These are attacks upon the law enforcement community of our 
Nation, and Republicans will not stand by as the violence rages in our 
country's second largest city.
  The California Governor and Los Angeles mayor--call them out: Gavin 
Newsom and Karen Bass--are unable and unwilling to restore the law. 
They refuse. They have coddled the criminals from day one, and many of 
these criminals are illegal immigrants. But who do Democrats stand by 
again and again and again? They stand by the guy on the roof of the 
burning car waving a Mexican flag instead of standing with law-abiding 
citizens who just want to live a life with safety. That is what the 
American people want--safety, prosperity. It is not what the Democrats 
are standing for, no.
  Americans are seeing local police officers as well as members of 
Immigrations and Custom Enforcement being brutally attacked with rocks, 
with bricks, with bottles, with concrete. Additionally, looters are 
using the unrest to break into local businesses.
  Oh, yeah, the police are occupied. Let's break into local businesses, 
including gas stations, the Apple store, jewelry stores. Let's go where 
the money is.
  The mayor of L.A. thinks it is fine, mostly peaceful. The Governor--
same thing. The minority leader of the U.S. Senate this morning: 
``mostly peaceful.'' That is not what the people are seeing when they 
turn on their TVs or turn to the front page of the New York Times.
  So this rioting in Los Angeles is because President Trump has 
rightfully deported violent, illegal immigrant criminals. The L.A. 
Times, the local newspaper in the area, reported this week: ``L.A. 
officials struggle to curb `disgusting' vandalism.''
  This is the L.A. Times. This is the New York Times. What are the 
Democrats not seeing that the rest of America is seeing? Theft, fire, 
violence in

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downtown L.A. The Los Angeles chief of police admitted his officers 
were overwhelmed. I guess he must be wrong and the Governor must be 
right, there in the Governor's mansion. How liberal can you get? 
Radically liberal. Dangerously liberal. It is scary how liberal they 
are. The police chief says violence has gotten out of control. Well, he 
is right.
  President Trump is right to bring in the National Guard. This is not 
to escalate; this is to end the destruction, the devastation that is 
happening in that community, to provide safety for citizens. They are 
there because Gavin Newsom, the Governor, and Mayor Karen Bass refuse 
to restore order. That is why they are there.
  Here you have it. The official stance of today's radical Democratic 
Party is to side with the illegal immigrants, the rioters, not the law-
abiding American citizens.
  Let's talk about who the Democrats are protecting: murders, rapists, 
child abusers, drug dealers, gang members--the worst of the worst. That 
is who the Democrats are standing with day after day after day.
  Let me tell you about a few of these criminals. ICE officers arrested 
this past weekend a number of criminals in L.A.--an illegal immigrant 
of Vietnam who is convicted of murder; an illegal immigrant from 
Ecuador who is convicted of drug trafficking--welcomed in, of course, 
by the Biden administration and all the Democrats, who love these guys; 
an illegal immigrant from Honduras who was arrested for dealing drugs; 
an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was convicted of manslaughter--
that is who has come into the country and was arrested this weekend in 
L.A.; an illegal immigrant from Mexico convicted of molesting a child; 
an illegal immigrant from the Philippines convicted of rape. This is 
the list that the Democrats are vowing to protect. It is shameful.
  President Trump has taken all of these criminals off the streets. 
President Trump and Republicans are committed to public safety, 
committed to enforcing the law. It is the most important thing we do, 
and it is actually a pretty popular thing in this country today, and 
the polls prove it.
  Just this weekend, CBS started their show ``Face the Nation'' showing 
Americans feel safer today under President Trump's immigration 
policies--not by a slim margin, not by a few points--by 12 points. They 
feel safe by double digits because of what President Trump is doing. A 
strong majority of Americans are happy with President Trump's 
deportation policies and the way he is carrying them out.
  This poll was before the riots began in L.A., so let's take a look at 
what has happened since, because support for President Trump's policies 
has gotten even stronger since the riots began and the inaction by the 
mayor and the Governor of California, their refusal to take action. 
Just yesterday, an Insider Advantage poll found that a majority of 
Americans approve of President Trump's decision to deploy the National 
Guard amid the riots in L.A., and it is by 20 points. This is a rock-
solid call for law and order in America.

  Look, Americans want safety, and they want security. American 
families deserve safe communities. For too many, like those in L.A., 
that safety feels out of reach--safety for their families--a kid 
playing out in the yard, going to school--safety in their communities, 
and safety at local businesses.
  Well, Republicans have a bold solution to change what is happening in 
these communities overrun by illegal immigrants, which has made every 
State a border State, and it starts with securing our borders and 
deporting illegal immigrant criminals.
  We have to pass this as quickly as possible. The American people are 
demanding it. Our budget bill we are working on invests $175 billion to 
stop the flood of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into our 
communities. It hires 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
agents. It hires 3,000 new Border Patrol agents. It provides bonuses to 
recruit, retain, and reward our brave ICE and Border Patrol agents. Our 
bill finishes the wall. All of these will deter illegal immigrants.
  Our bill surges new technology to the border. This is going to cut 
off the pipeline of illegal drugs and criminals before they even reach 
our communities. Our bill vastly expands our detention capacity. This 
will allow us to swiftly deport illegal criminals who threaten our 
safety.
  Republicans aren't stopping there. No, they are not. Our bill stops 
liberal States such as California from continuing to pay for healthcare 
with taxpayer dollars for 1.4 million illegal immigrants. These are 
illegal immigrants who are receiving Medicaid benefits. We need to stop 
paying for them to strengthen the Medicaid Program for those who need 
it, those who deserve it, those it was designed for.
  This bill is about delivering safe communities and a safe country for 
every American, and safe communities start with secure borders. Safer 
communities means families can live free from the constant fear of 
crime and from crime. Children can play in the streets, college 
students can go on runs on their campuses, and neighbors can open small 
businesses. Everyone can build a brighter future. This is a future 
worth fighting for, and Republicans have commonsense plans to make it a 
reality.
  So what have the Democrats done? They have come to the floor of the 
Senate and said: We are going to fight you all the way. They have vowed 
to fight us every step along the way as we try to provide a safer and 
prosperous America. Every one of them still supports open borders.
  The minority leader talks about this like, hey, things are fine; this 
is all peaceful. They have been singing that song for the last 4 years. 
What we have seen with the southern border of this country and the 
flood of illegal immigrants has absolutely been a disaster. With every 
State a border State, Democrats have learned nothing. They continue to 
be the party of crime and criminals.
  Republicans are focused on results, Mr. President, because we know 
that Americans want safe cities, not sanctuary cities. That is what the 
people voted for, that is what they demand, and that is what we are 
going to continue to deliver. We are not going to stop fighting at all 
because we are going to continue to fight to make America safer.