SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – There is growing national division over President Donald Trump's handling of immigration enforcement, especially following the recent deployment of troops to Los Angeles in response to anti-ICE protests.
Trump has ordered thousands of National Guard troops to the streets of Los Angeles. As of Monday, about 1,700 National Guard members were active in the area, according to U.S. Northern Command. This follows a Saturday memorandum deploying 2,000 troops, with the Pentagon announcing an additional 2,000 on Monday. It remains unclear when the full number of troops will arrive.
Former Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco defended the federal response, arguing that violent acts during the demonstrations such as attacks on police and ICE agents justified a military presence.
“What they can't do, however, is set cars on fire... attack the police, attack ICE agents with fireworks. That is way, way beyond peaceful protest. That's a riot."
Former State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson countered that the deployment was excessive and politically motivated.
"There is something called the right to assemble and to protest, and what you've mentioned were 2 or 3 very isolated events and the LAPD and law enforcement was handling those situations."
A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted before the weekend’s protests found that 54% of Americans approve of the administration’s deportation program. Support is strongest among those who believe deportation efforts are focused on dangerous criminals and making the U.S. safer. However, support drops sharply among Americans who think the effort is too broad or lacks due process. Half of respondents said Trump is deporting more people than they expected, and most in that group disapprove of the program.
“This is really an excuse by Donald Trump to divert attention frankly from his failed, unpopular and disastrous presidency.”
“This isn’t the rebellion,” said Jackson. “This is people who said you have gone way too far in your efforts to supposedly control illegal immigration.”
Francisco maintained that the enforcement aligns with federal law and public safety priorities, dismissing legal challenges from state leaders like Governor Gavin Newsom.
On Monday, Newsom filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of unlawfully deploying National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles without state consent. The suit argues the move violates constitutional limits on federal authority and seeks an emergency injunction to halt the deployment.
The public demonstrations over immigration come as President Trump pushes his so-called "Big Beautiful Bill," a sweeping budget proposal that has passed the House and is now under review in the Senate. The legislation includes tax cuts, increased funding for border security, and proposed cuts to clean energy incentives, Medicaid, and public broadcasting. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill is projected to add approximately $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade.
Francisco acknowledged the bill’s shortcomings but praised its defense and immigration provisions.
“There's funding for 700 miles of border wall... 10,000 new ICE agents... and $25 billion to get the so-called golden dome project started.”
He also argued that reducing subsidies for renewable energy in favor of traditional energy sources like nuclear and fossil fuels would improve grid reliability.
Jackson described the bill as “a billionaire tax scam,” warning of widespread consequences for working-class Americans.
“It's gonna throw between 14 and 16 million Americans off of their health care... give tax breaks to the rich... and blow an additional 2.4 trillion into our budget.”
She cited additional provisions in the bill that would defund Planned Parenthood, shield Trump from court orders, and open 300 million acres of public land to new oil drilling.
Trump hopes to sign the bill before July 4.
Former Santa Barbara Politicians Spar Over Trump’s Los Angeles Troop Deployment, Immigration, and ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ News Channel 3-12.
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