PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) responded to comments by Trump White House Border Czar Tom Homan, who vowed federal immigration law enforcement in Los Angeles, regardless of local resistance.
👥 Who’s Involved: Gov. Newsom, Homan, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
📍 Where & When: Los Angeles, California; statements made on Sunday.
💬 Key Quote: Newsom said, “Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy, you know? I don’t give a damn. But I care about my community.”
⚠️ Impact: The exchange highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement and California Democrats as the former attempts to carry out mass deportations and the latter attempts to obstruct them.
IN FULL:
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) issued a combative response Sunday evening to Border Czar Tom Homan, who warned earlier in the day that federal authorities would continue enforcing immigration laws in Los Angeles and state officials standing in the way would face obstruction charges.
Homan, a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), did not rule anything out when asked if this could extend to Governor Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “I’ll say it about anybody,” he stated. “You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.”
Newsom, who presides over a state regime with a lax or even permissive approach towards illegal immigration, responded by challenging Homan to arrest him. “Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy, you know? I don’t give a damn. But I care about my community. I care about this community,” Newsom said, seemingly referring to California’s illegal immigrant population. “They need to stop, and we need to push back,” Newsom added.
Newsom’s comments come as Los Angeles has seen daily riots, including police being attacked by rioters over attempts to detain illegal immigrants, including dangerous criminals. In reaction to the violence, President Donald J. Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops.
Newsom, who will leave office next year due to term limits, is widely considered a top contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
🚨 JUST IN: Rioters are now BURNING and SPITTING ON American flags in the streets of Los Angeles, chanting “F*** TRUMP.”
These people HATE our country.
WHY SHOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO STAY?! pic.twitter.com/IBKCRpPECB
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 9, 2025