Mexican president speaks out on LA riots and calls migrants ‘heroes of the nation’
Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has spoken out about the recent unrest in Los Angeles as it continues to carve deep divisions within US politics. She’s done so by publicly criticizing President Trump’s immigration policies and praising Mexican migrants in America, calling them ‘heroes of the nation’. Her remarks came as violent protests continued across the city following a wave of immigration enforcement raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday that led to violent protests, dozens of arrests and a even the National Guard being sent in
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday in San Andrés Cholula in Puebla, Mexico, Sheinbaum denounced Trump’s recent crackdown. ‘We disagree with this approach to the migration phenomenon,’ she said. ‘It’s not about raids or violence, but rather working on a comprehensive reform that takes into account the Mexicans on the other side of the border.’ She also urged peace and discouraged violent demonstrations in response to the detentions
The Mexican president said that 35 Mexican citizens were detained by ICE agents in connection with Trump’s latest immigration initiative. Sheinbaum stressed that Mexican migrants in other countries such as the United States are hardworking and law-abiding. ‘Mexicans living in the US are good, honest men and women who left to seek a better life for themselves and to support their families,’ she said. ‘They are not criminals.’ She added: ‘For us, we have always said they are heroes and heroines of the nation because they selflessly support their families and sustain the economy of the United States.’ She also praised the role of Mexicans in the greater Los Angeles area in general
According to July 2024 numbers from the US Census Bureau, Hispanics/Latinos make up nearly half (48.6%) of Los Angeles’ population. With Mexican heritage accounting for 31%. ‘Los Angeles wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for the Mexicans who live there,’ Sheinbaum went on. ‘The United States is what it is thanks also to the work of our fellow Mexicans who live across the border’
Sheinbaum extended an open invitation to migrants who might want to return to Mexico and reiterated her stance against violence. ‘We call for a ban on violence,’ she said. She noted that consular officials were being directed to assist the 35 detained individuals and stay in contact with their families, while also continuing to recognize the value of the Mexican diaspora
Back in California, protests and riots escalated on Sunday as demonstrators blocked major roadways and torched vehicles, all in protest of President Trump’s move to send 2,000 National Guard troops to the city in an attempt to quell the uprising and violence. Police forces responded by deploying tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bang devices in an attempt to disperse the crowds