🔥 Steve Bannon Urges Trump to “Double Down” on ICE Raids
What Happened?
Steve Bannon, former top adviser to President Trump, appeared on a BBC interview to react to the ongoing protests in Los Angeles. He strongly urged President Trump to “double down” on ICE raids, meaning he wants the administration to increase and intensify immigration enforcement actions nypost.com+15archive.org+15youtube.com+15youtube.com+7youtube.com+7youtube.com+7.
Bannon’s Reasoning
- He called the protests a “Third World War” on U.S. soil, blaming what he saw as a wave of undocumented immigrants and foreign influence behind the unrest thedailybeast.com+1yahoo.com+1.
- According to Bannon, Trump should act forcefully—similar to how Andrew Jackson reacted to resistance—arguing that cities like Los Angeles should not push back against federal ICE operations .
What It Means
- Escalation of policy: Bannon is calling for more aggressive ICE raids, not only targeting undocumented immigrants but potentially expanding efforts in sanctuary cities.
- Deepening tensions: His remarks reflect a hardline, confrontational stance that could further escalate protests and state-federal conflict.
Broader Context
- This push comes amid national uproar over ICE raids that took place in early June in Los Angeles.
- These raids led to mass protests and the deployment of National Guard troops—and even 700 Marines—to the city washingtonpost.com+13youtube.com+13youtube.com+13theguardian.com+7en.wikipedia.org+7thedailybeast.com+7youtube.com+3newyorker.com+3time.com+3archive.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3theguardian.com+3.
- Critics, including California leaders like Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass, have denounced these actions as excessive and inflammatory, warning against militarizing immigration enforcement archive.org+7theguardian.com+7timesofindia.indiatimes.com+7.
🗣 Why It Matters
- Public safety vs. civil rights: Bannon’s call reflects a willingness to use more forceful tactics—raising concerns about potential rights violations.
- Political division: This escalatory rhetoric could heighten tensions not only in L.A. but across other sanctuary cities.
- Future direction: If Trump adopts Bannon’s advice, expect deeper ICE involvement—and likely more protests in response.
Final Thoughts
Steve Bannon’s message is clear: he wants President Trump to double the intensity of ICE actions, even amid protests and rising tension. Supporters see this as strengthening border enforcement. Critics worry it risks undermining civil liberties and stoking wider unrest.