ICE prepares to deploy tactical brokers to a number of Democratic-led cities

Kim Kardashian spoke out about the “inhumane” treatment of “innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families.”

“Growing up in L.A., I’ve seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. They are our neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, and family,” she said in an Instagram story. “No matter where you fall politically, it’s clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants. We can’t turn a blind eye when fear and injustice keep people from living their lives freely and safely.”

Chicago police said they are ready to “protect those exercising their First Amendment Rights” ahead of a planned ICE protest on Saturday.

“With public safety as our top priority, our planning and training for First Amendment assemblies are rooted in constitutional policing and the safety of all those participating, working, and living in the affected areas,” the department said in a statement.

It added, “As we protect these assemblies, we will not tolerate any criminal activity or violence. Those in violation of the law will be held accountable.”

Homeland Security posted what it says is drone footage of demonstrators in Los Angeles and called on politicians to end what it called a “rioting mob.”

“This is not calm. This is not peaceful,” the agency said Tuesday in a post on X.

The video showed a person in the middle of the street appearing to hit a van, and black smoke billowing from a car that was on fire. Protesters are seen swarming the city streets and sidewalks.

But Mayor Karen Bass said that trying to paint a picture of chaos in the city “is just not true.” In a Wednesday “Morning Joe” interview, Bass said there was no looting or vandalism on Tuesday night.

“We are a city of 3.8 million, 500 square miles. This is happening over about five or six streets in downtown Los Angeles,” she said.

Bass said having National Guard members deployed in city streets is “completely unnecessary.”

“There is no need for this. The city handled things perfectly last night and will continue to do so,” she said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said that a majority of protesters in the city did so peacefully. He slammed President Donald Trump for commandeering thousands of the state’s National Guard members, calling it a “brazen abuse of power.”

A curfew was issued for downtown Los Angeles beginning Tuesday night. The mayor did warn that vandalism wouldn’t be tolerated.

“I do not believe that individuals that commit vandalism and violence in our city really are in support of immigrants; they have another agenda. If you support immigrants and the rights of immigrants to be in our city, you would not be tearing the city apart,” Bass said at a press conference.

Outgoing San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Wednesday that he did not ask Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to send state National Guard troops into the city, “nor did we get any advance warning.”

Abbott said he would deploy Texas Guard troops across the state ahead of a planned protest in San Antonio.

Nirenberg held the news conference with the city’s police chief and city manager to urge peaceful protest and safety at a Wednesday-evening rally that the police chief said would be held at the Alamo.

Nirenburg, ending eight years in office in June, said he empathizes with the “serious fatigue this federal administration is causing within our community” but expressed support for Police Chief William McManus’ call for peaceful protest and plans to respond to property damage or violence.

“I’m confident San Antonio knows how to do this right,” Nirenberg said.

He opened the news conference by saying he acknowledged the “anger and frustration … with the government’s crude interpretations of immigration law and cruel approach to human rights.”

McManus said the city has everything it needs to handle the protests, is prepared for a peaceful operation, and is “planning for the worst” should it occur.

ICE is preparing to deploy its Special Response Teams to five cities run by Democratic leaders, two sources familiar with the planning of the future operations told NBC News today.

The Special Response Teams (SRTs) are tactical units under ICE that use BearCat tracked vehicles, long guns and tactical vests in operations considered high risk. They were used in the raid on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ home, for example.

They were most recently used in Los Angeles and are seen as among the reasons protests began.

The sources said the SRTs have been ordered to deploy in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, northern Virginia and New York.

It is not clear that the raids in those cities will begin immediately, but all SRT units in those areas have been told to be ready to deploy, the sources said.

Mayor Karen Bass said Tuesday night that a curfew will be in effect in the Los Angeles area, where protests have occurred. 

According to the mayor’s office, the curfew is effective from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in downtown Los Angeles. It covers the area between the U.S. 110, I-5 and I-10 freeways and extends north of the 101 into Chinatown and Elysian Park until the 5 and the 110 meet.

As preparations continue for a massive military parade that marks the Army’s 250th anniversary and falls on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, the president is shrugging off Republican criticism of the $45 million spectacle coming to Washington, D.C., and promising that protesters will be “met with very big force.”

It comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced new scrutiny over the president’s decision to deploy the National Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles in response to immigration protests. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he’ll deploy the National Guard to locations across the state “to ensure peace and order” ahead of a planned protest in San Antonio.

“Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest. @TexasGuard will use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order,” Abbott wrote on X late Tuesday local time.