Latest news with #UnitedStatesMarines
Atlantic
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Atlantic
America Just Beat Up These Marines' Dad
The four men in jeans and tactical vests labeled Police: U.S. Border Patrol had Narciso Barranco surrounded. Their masks and hats concealed their faces, so that only their eyes were visible. When they'd approached him, he was doing landscape work outside of an IHOP in Santa Ana, California. Frightened, Barranco attempted to run away. By the time a bystander started filming, the agents had caught him and pinned him, face down, on the road. One crouches and begins to pummel him, repeatedly, in the head. You can hear Barranco moaning in pain. Eventually, the masked men drag him to his feet and try to shove him into an SUV. When Barranco resists, one agent takes a rod and wedges it under his neck, attempting to steer him into the vehicle as if prodding livestock. Barranco is the father of three sons, all of them United States Marines. The eldest brother is a veteran, and the younger men are on active duty. At any moment, the same president who sent an emboldened ICE after their father could also command them into battle. That president has described Latinos as 'criminals' and 'anchor babies,' but the Barrancos and so many like them, immigrants or the children of immigrants, are not 'invading' America; they're defending it. In 2015, 12 percent of active-duty service members identified as Hispanic. By 2023, that number had increased to 19.5 percent. In the Marine Corps, the proportion was closer to 28 percent. Latinas are more represented in the military than in the civilian workforce—21 percent of enlisted women compared with 18 percent of working women. (One explanation might be the military's guaranteed equal pay: In the civilian workforce, Latinas earn just 65 cents on the dollar compared with white men.) Communities of color have long been targets for military recruitment. When I went to public high school in Brooklyn in the '90s, recruitment officers used to visit classrooms. The military offers financial stability, a route to college. But for many Latinos, as for other immigrant groups, it offers more: a path to belonging, whether for citizens who have been treated as outsiders in their own nation, or for the undocumented. Immigrants who serve at least a year in any branch of the armed forces can become eligible for naturalized citizenship. In 1917, just before entering World War I, the United States passed the Jones-Shafroth Act, bestowing citizenship (but not a right to representation) on Puerto Ricans. This would have the effect of making them eligible for the draft when it was instituted a few months later. An estimated 18,000 to 20,000 Puerto Rican recruits were soon shipped off to fight in Europe. During World War II, approximately 15,000 Mexican nationals fought in American uniforms, many earning citizenship. This was in addition to the 500,000 American Latinos of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent who enlisted and fought for their country, including my own grandfather. He was a decorated member of the 9th Infantry Division who fought in Tunisia, landed in Normandy, and was one of the first American soldiers to make it into Germany. He was proud of his role in history, but also of the lifelong friendships that he, a Puerto Rican man from Brooklyn, had with veterans from across the country. In one oral history, Armando Flores, a veteran of World War II, recounts a lieutenant scolding him in his early days of service: 'American soldiers stand at attention.' Rather than feeling chastened, Flores was stunned. ' Nobody had ever called me an American until that time.' Hispanic veterans came home to a country where signs were posted in Texas restaurant windows announcing: No Dogs Negroes Mexicans. Like their African American counterparts, many were the victims of redlining that prevented them from buying homes. Latino veterans created the American GI Forum to demand that benefits such as medical care and burial rights be available to Latino as well as white veterans. During the Vietnam War, Latinos were about 5 percent of the U.S. population, but they accounted for an estimated 20 percent of the 60,000 American casualties. This country has a long history of treating the veterans who have served it shoddily. And yet what's happening now—as Donald Trump's agents violently detain some Latinos in the streets as other Latinos serve their country in strikes against Iran—feels extreme. Johnathan Hernandez, a city councilman in Santa Ana, where Barranco was beaten, describes what's happening in his community as a kind of war itself. Santa Ana is 77 percent Hispanic. It has become a popular target for ICE. Hernandez told me that he is seeing 'a culture of fear, a culture of people not feeling safe, and people feeling under attack.' He said he worked to get the video posted on social media because no one knew who the man in it was, and he hoped that someone in the tight-knit community could identify him. 'Because of the fact that these agents are unidentified and they're taking people without due process, it means that you're leaving very little for a family to be able to put the pieces together and find their loved ones,' he said. A woman saw the video on Instagram and commented that it was her friends' father. Nearly 24 hours after the violent encounter, Barranco's eldest son, Alejandro, was able to finally make contact with his father, who said he still had not received medical care, and that he was hungry and thirsty. (The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Barranco had 'assaulted' agents with his string trimmer— sharing a video in which he can be seen turning toward the agents and briefly lifting it—and that he had declined medical care.) In interviews with news agencies, Alejandro said that he and his brothers 'feel hurt; we feel betrayed.' Their father taught them to 'respect this country, thank this country, and then that led us to join the Marine Corps and kind of give back to the country and be thankful,' he said. Alejandro was deployed to Kabul in 2021, when the U.S. was evacuating from Afghanistan. Had a Marine treated a detainee the way that the Border Patrol agents treated his father, he told MSNBC, it would have been considered a war crime. He also spoke with Task & Purpose, which covers the military. 'I don't believe that they followed their training,' he said about the agents. 'Repeatedly punching a man in the face while he's on the ground while he's been maced or pepper-sprayed, I don't believe that that was in their training.' (He also noted that the agents could be seen running with their weapons, which is 'a very unprofessional way of holding a firearm.') Many Latinos are sharing in the Barranco family's trauma. We are a highly diverse identity group, whose common bonds can feel tenuous at best. Forty-eight percent of the Latinos who voted in the 2024 election chose Trump—and many Latino members of the military, which tends to lean more conservative than the general population, were probably among them. And yet even some of those Trump voters, seeing on a daily basis the violence and haphazard cruelty with which the Trump administration is executing its mass-deportation agenda, must share my terror and anger. (ICE's recent actions have already led some of Trump's supporters to regret their vote.) How can any Latinos feel secure if 'looking' Hispanic or speaking Spanish or even going to Home Depot puts you at risk? How would you feel if you were deployed half a world away and wondering each day if your mother or father or sister or brother or wife might have been snatched up by ICE? This is a personal question for Latino soldiers, but it is a personnel question for the secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, who have to worry about military morale as an essential dimension of combat power. The psychological toll of ICE raids isn't borne only by the new immigrants whom Trump calls 'invaders,' but also by many of the Americans tasked with protecting us from real foreign threats. In the barracks at Camp Pendleton where the younger Barranco brothers sleep, they must be struggling to focus on their mission while fearing for the safety of their father in the hands of the very government they are sworn to defend.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Politician Says ‘Gangster' Trump Shouldn't Be Allowed to Come to Canada
Canadian politician Charlie Angus delivered a blistering rebuke of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, claiming that Trump's 'authoritarian regime' means the U.S. and Canada are no longer allies. Angus, who retired from parliament in March, went so far as to suggest that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney should consider uninviting Trump to the G7 Summit in Canada next week. 'We can't kid ourselves about the threat that's being posed by Donald Trump,' Angus said at a news conference. 'Carney is not inviting our nearest neighbor and friendly ally to join us in the G7. Prime Minister Carney is not inviting the leader of the free world to Canada. He is welcoming in Vladimir Putin's sock puppet, who will have the best seat in the key negotiations.' Angus, 62, is a member of Canada's New Democratic Party. He has been outspoken against Trump in recent months, particularly over the president's seemingly abandoned desire to make Canada the 51st U.S. state. The recently retired Angus attacked Trump for a solid 10 minutes before taking questions from the press. He made his reason for calling a news conference clear from the jump. 'This morning, I offer my deep concern, solidarity, and prayers of the people of California, who are out in the streets, unarmed, defending the rule of law against illegal kidnapping and deportation, and they're being faced down by the military might of the United States Marines,' he said. 'We're not talking about creeping fascism here. This is full-on police state tyranny from the gangster president, Donald Trump, and this is the man who will soon be crossing our border to attend the G7 meetings in Canada.' Angus referred to Trump as a 'convicted felon,' a 'sexual predator,' and as a man 'who has threatened our nation's sovereignty.' He claimed that he has received an outpouring of messages from Canadians who are upset that Trump is being invited to travel north of the border. 'The Prime Minister must state boldly that he will stand up against any attempts to interfere in Canada and to undermine, through academia or through American corporations that are in Canada, any DEI measures that are in Canada, because Canada is a nation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is what makes Canada a light in this new dark age of gangster regimes, and Trump is the gangster,' Angus said. Angus said he understands that Carney likely invited Trump to keep from further straining U.S.-Canadian relations. Still, he said the new leader has some serious thinking to do about how he deals with an emboldened MAGA 2.0. Trump poses a 'clear threat to American democracy, to Canadian sovereignty and to the international rule of law,' Angus said, adding that he has 'made over 100 attacks on Canada' in his second term. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Angus called on Carney, a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, to work with those in his more progressive New Democratic Party to stand up to Trump. 'I urge the prime minister to work with us and work with our allies, and send a very clear message that we will not support, in any way, the rise of an authoritarian regime south of the border that is using the military against its own people,' he said. 'Canada, at this point, is holding the line, but we must remain true, north, strong, and free.'
New York Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Newsom goes scorched earth against Trump in address accusing prez of ‘brazen abuse of power'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom ripped into President Trump Tuesday for a 'brazen abuse of power' by deploying troops to Los Angeles and claimed his political rival is intentionally causing ongoing chaos in the city. The Democratic governor heightened his feud with Trump during a Tuesday night address while pleading with protesters to remain peaceful as the city grapples with outright lawlessness and Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew in the downtown area to clamp down on rioting and looting. Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement demonstrations began last Friday in response to federal raids against illegal migrants in the West Coast city and quickly spiraled out of control – leading Trump to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops, and then 700 United States Marines over Newsom's objections. 3 Newsom issued a rebuke of Trump on Tuesday night. AP 'This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers, and even our National Guard at risk,' Newsom argued. 'That's when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder. And the president, he did it on purpose.' Newsom insisted while there was violence when protests first erupted, local authorities largely had the situation under control before Trump stepped in. Trump's actions spurred unrest and placed 'theatrics over public safety,' the left gov. claimed. Newsom has filed legal actions to stop the controversial deployment. While Newsom was issuing a defiant rebuke against Trump, the president vowed to 'liberate' Los Angeles while delivering a speech at Fort Bragg Tuesday. 3 Broken glass lies on the floor of a cannabis store after it was looted in LA. REUTERS He said the federal government would 'use every asset at our disposal to quell violence and restore law and order.' The two have been lobbing attacks at each other since the weekend as Los Angeles has faced a mix of fiery protests, looting, vandalism and clashes with police. Newsom stressed authorities have already arrested more than 200 people and are looking to take more into custody. 3 The rioting has led to a curfew in part of the city. Toby Canham for NY Post He pleaded with protesters not to turn to violence. 'If you incite violence – and I want to be clear about this – if you incite violence or destroy our communities, you're going to be held to account. That type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated, full stop.' With Post wires
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart: Trump lit ‘fuse' on LA ‘tinderbox'
Comedian Jon Stewart accused President Trump of 'happily' setting off a 'tinderbox' in Los Angeles amid days of protests against the president's immigration policies. 'The Daily Show' host railed against Trump for deploying 4,000 National Guard troops in California and knocked the administration's recent push to ramp up immigrant arrests. 'So now, predictably, these non-targeted, much broader deportation efforts in cities that feel very connected to the immigrant population is a tinderbox. And Trump happily lights the fuse,' the comedian said on his show. Stewart asserted Trump was focused on protestors to help drown out the attention drawn by his feud with tech giant Elon Musk after the former adviser accused the president of being named in documents pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. 'Why escalate this s— now?' Stewart asked. 'Oh, right — Elon Musk is now accusing Trump of being in the Epstein files.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded Musk's claims last seek, arguing he was upset over the Trump agenda bill being reviewed by the Senate and called the spat 'unfortunate.' Musk's post was later removed from his account. Stewart on Monday urged the Trump administration to shift its focus from legislative priorities to the needs of people on the ground in California. 'It's an explosive situation on the cusp of federalism versus states' rights, border control versus due process, terrifyingly militarized sweeps versus hard-working people in local communities,' he said. 'The United States Marines versus the Postmates guy who brought you an egg sandwich. It's going to require a deft and firm, experienced and wise — I think you know where I'm going with this … A deft touch from leadership in Washington.' Local leaders including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) have pushed back on Trump's moves and urged for local law enforcement to handle the protests. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Jon Stewart: Trump lit ‘fuse' on LA ‘tinderbox'
Comedian Jon Stewart accused President Trump of 'happily' setting off a 'tinderbox' in Los Angeles amid days of protests against the president's immigration policies. 'The Daily Show' host railed against Trump for deploying 4,000 National Guard troops in California and knocked the administration's recent push to ramp up immigrant arrests. 'So now, predictably, these non-targeted, much broader deportation efforts in cities that feel very connected to the immigrant population is a tinderbox. And Trump happily lights the fuse,' the comedian said on his show. Stewart asserted Trump was focused on protestors to help drown out the attention drawn by his feud with tech giant Elon Musk after the former adviser accused the president of being named in documents pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. 'Why escalate this s— now?' Stewart asked. 'Oh, right — Elon Musk is now accusing Trump of being in the Epstein files.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded Musk's claims last seek, arguing he was upset over the Trump agenda bill being reviewed by the Senate and called the spat 'unfortunate.' Musk's post was later removed from his account. Stewart on Monday urged the Trump administration to shift its focus from legislative priorities to the needs of people on the ground in California. 'It's an explosive situation on the cusp of federalism versus states' rights, border control versus due process, terrifyingly militarized sweeps versus hard-working people in local communities,' he said. 'The United States Marines versus the Postmates guy who brought you an egg sandwich. It's going to require a deft and firm, experienced and wise — I think you know where I'm going with this … A deft touch from leadership in Washington.' Local leaders including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) have pushed back on Trump's moves and urged for local law enforcement to handle the protests.
