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Los Angeles Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: As concerns arise around ICE and racial profiling, ‘Could it happen to me?'
To the editor: The article about racial profiling fears regarding the Trump administration's immigration enforcement set me to thinking ('Fears of racial profiling rise as Border Patrol conducts 'roving patrols,' detains U.S. citizens,' June 15). Could it happen to me? I'd characterize myself generally as recognizable as Latino. I assure myself that I was born here in a family that has been in California for 125 years. Yet, we hear of Latinos who are U.S. citizens getting detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I further assure myself that I'm a Stanford law graduate living in an upscale community, and have been a practicing business litigation attorney for 48 years. No matter; if my friend, Sen. Alex Padilla, can be manhandled by law enforcement officials, who am I to think I would be exempt? But I'll be damned if I'll go around carrying my passport 'just in case.' It galls me most of all that I, a Vietnam-era vet, could be subject to having my citizenship questioned simply on the basis of physical appearance under policies promulgated by President Trump and his political advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller — neither of whom ever served in uniform, and neither of whom would even be in this country but for the historical American tradition of chain migration. To cut to the chase, what is a sound basis for determining whether someone on the street might be foreign born without authorization to be in this country? I don't have the answer, but both moral and secular law dictate that it should not be their skin tone or physical appearance. Agustin Medina, South Pasadena .. To the editor: 'Growing concerns of racial profiling,' you think? It really doesn't take much to come to this conclusion. ICE, along with other federal agencies, has been rampaging through neighborhoods in our city where our Latino co-workers and neighbors live and grabbing people off the street, with seemingly no reason other than the color of their skin. This certainly isn't happening in Woodland Hills, where the majority of immigrants are white. And, as this is happening, the president of the United States is calling for 'remigration,' which is a term used by the far-right in Europe calling for ethnic cleansing of nonwhite people through forced or 'voluntary' deportation. This is also against the backdrop of Trump offering asylum to white South Africans. There is no evidence that they face any persecution in the country where, despite the victory of the African National Congress in the '90s, the economy still disproportionately favors white people. Let's call it what it is. This is not about catching and deporting 'violent criminals.' It is about white supremacy, or making America white privileged again. Leslie Simon and Marc Bender, Woodland Hills .. To the editor: It is clearly illegal, not to mention immoral, to stop people and ask for proof of citizenship based on the color of their skin. If ICE wants to catch people who are not supposed to be here, they need to do it neutrally. I suggest they set up checkpoints like the ones used on New Year's Eve to deter drinking and driving. They need to stop every car and ask every person, no matter their age or appearance, for proof of citizenship. And that means birth certificate or passport — driver's licenses don't count. Anyone without the proper documentation would be taken into custody until someone can come down and produce the proper paperwork. And this needs to be done everywhere, including, say, Huntington Beach. After a few days of this, let's see how popular ICE is with the MAGA crowd. Craig Zerouni, Los Angeles
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Trump gets his D.C. military parade, but "No Kings" protests cast shadow
The National Mall transformed into a MAGA-ified carnival for the Army's 250th birthday parade on Saturday, but the show of military might drew a smaller crowd than anticipated. The big picture: 7,000 soldiers, 100+ tanks, cheering tourists and heavy-duty security took over downtown — against the backdrop of anti-President Trump protests nationwide and political violence in Minnesota. Trump sat on a stage of VIPs and watched the multimillion-dollar procession of troops and tanks down Constitution Avenue, followed by a concert and fireworks. "Happy birthday," country singer Lee Greenwood told Trump, who turned 79. The Army Golden Knights parachuted in — one flying a D.C. flag. By the numbers: Attendance for the country's largest military parade in decades didn't appear near the expected 200,000, AP reports. Meanwhile, millions of people joined "No Kings" rallies across America, including across the DMV. Near the White House, several hundred people joined a "Refuse Fascism" rally. "No Kings" organizers told Axios they intentionally avoided rallying in downtown D.C. to "create contrast, not conflict." In Culpeper, Virginia, police say a man intentionally drove into a crowd of protestors. The scene: It didn't rain much on Trump's parade, but the spectacle proved better TV than in-person viewing. It was painfully muggy, with poor sight lines and plenty of waiting around between columns of marching soldiers and tanks. Wearing replica period outfits, Army soldiers commemorated the Revolutionary War and Civil War, before moving into the 20th century. Flyovers included Vietnam-era helicopters. Modern tanks rolled past loudspeakers playing the melody of Van Halen's "Jump." The Washington Monument grounds had a picnic vibe with some families sitting on the grass. Thousands left early to dodge the threat of showers, but early sprinkles and hazy skies eventually became clearer and allowed for a fireworks display. Zoom in: D.C. trash crews moved in shortly after crowds were let out to begin cleaning up. Mayor Muriel Bowser declined to attend, NBC4 reported, instead sending her senior adviser. The latest: Road closures lifted at 6am Monday morning for Independence Avenue and major thoroughfares.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
All-female crew of veterans celebrated on Greater STL honor flight
ST. LOUIS – For the first time, the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight took off with an all-female crew of veterans, coinciding with Women's Veterans Recognition Day. 'Getting recognition. That's what I'm most proud of,' said 91-year-old Helen Kevrick, who showed up with excitement for the honor flight. Although she's been on an Honor Flight before, today's event meant a lot for Kevrick. 'I'm so glad to be able to be here at my age and to be with all these other wonderful women. It's outstanding,' Kevrick said. This Honor Flight included 28 Vietnam-era women veterans who served during a time when their contributions were often overlooked. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'I served in the Army right out of high school—1971 to 1991,' said Diann Turner. 'I wanted to go to Vietnam, but at the time, women could not go to Vietnam. Only if you were a nurse.' Many of these veterans were visiting the memorial for the first time, reflecting on their past and reclaiming their place in history. 'As a matter of fact, I haven't been to a walk for around for too long. I was only ever in D.C. to take training courses or something. I never had extra time to go do this,' said Susan Reyes Sauter, an Air Force Veteran. The Vietnam Memorial, with names etched into its black granite wall, served as a poignant reminder of the lives lost, including eight American women. This day was not only a tribute to the individual sacrifices of these women but also a celebration of their collective strength and sisterhood. 'I'm proud of my service, proud of being here with all these other women who gave their service too,' Kevrick said. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pope Leo to speak virtually in Chicago — and it will happen right when Trump military parade rolls out
What message is the Pope sending from Chicago? Live Events How different both of the events are? Has Pope Leo XIV rejected Donald Trump's anti-immigration policies? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel This Saturday, two prominent people will try to garner the Americans attention in very different ways. President Donald Trump will celebrate his birthday with a huge military parade in Washington, D.C. and at the same time, Pope Leo XIV will send a heartfelt virtual message and mass from Chicago The timing couldn't be more symbolic. People are facing the biggest dilemma of now having to decide between attending Pope Leo XIV's special speech and Donald Trump's birthday and military parade on event, which is almost sold out, is all about unity and compassion , which is the opposite of what President Trump is doing with his show of force and nationalism. There are disagreements about values and the direction of president's multimillion-dollar party in Washington, D.C., coincides with the pontiff's plans to broadcast a video message and mass in his hometown of event will take place at Rate Field, home of Pope Leo's favorite team, the Chicago White Sox, and tickets are available for $5 each online. The 40,000-seat stadium was nearly completely sold out as of Wednesday, as per a report by The 6,600 Army soldiers and military hardware, including a WWII-era B-25 bomber, a P-1 fighter, and Vietnam-era Huey helicopters, along with 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker armored vehicles, and four Paladin self-propelled artillery vehicles, are expected to participate in Trump's military parade. Thus, the atmosphere in Washington, D.C., will be a little it hasn't specifically mentioned the president, the pope has also denounced anti-immigrant rhetoric, including remarks made by the Trump social media posts made while still a cardinal, Leo, who was elected Holy See last month, was known to have expressed disagreement with both the president and vice president, J.D. Sunday's mass in St. Peter's Square, Leo prayed for peace and communication while denouncing the rise of nationalist political movements worldwide."Prejudice, 'security' zones that divide us from our neighbors, and the exclusive mentality that, regrettably, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms have no place where love exists," he Leo previously expressed disapproval of the treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadorian immigrant who the Trump administration accused of being a member of the MS-13 gang, as per a Pope's virtual mass in Chicago coincides with Trump's parade, which could highlight opposing visions of speech emphasizes unity, compassion, and a rejection of rising nationalist sentiment around the world.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nearly 500 Fort Campbell soldiers head to D.C. for Army anniversary parade
Hundreds of Fort Campbell soldiers will be joining the other hundreds of soldiers for the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C. on June 14. Nearly 500 Fort Campbell soldiers will be in Washington, D.C., as the nation prepares for the Army's 250th birthday. The Army base, home of the 101st Airborne, will provide seven infantry squad vehicles, the only ones of its kind featured in the national parade. 'It is our honor to represent the 101st Airborne and Fort Campbell in this historic celebration of the Army's 250th birthday,' said Col. Martin Meiners, 101st Abn. Div. spokesperson. 'Our history is America's history—from the airborne drops in Normandy to today's modern battlefields, Screaming Eagles have answered the call. We are proud to celebrate the legacy of our 101st Airborne Soldiers and Veterans who have defended freedom around the world since WWII.' According to Meiners, soldiers participating in the event include Army band members, squad vehicle drivers and soldiers dressed in commemorative uniforms, paying tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War and displaying current combat uniforms. The lineup includes the following: Approximately 200 soldiers will march in Vietnam-era uniforms Approximately 200 Soldiers will march in the current 101st Airborne Division uniforms Approximately 20 Soldiers from 101st band will perform Approximately seven Infantry Squad Vehicles will be featured (The only ones in the parade being from Fort Campbell.) Approximately 50 Soldiers will march and ride in tactical combat uniforms The group of 50 soldiers will represent the Army of 2030, which will have the most modern equipment available, not widely spread across the rest of the Army, Meiners said in a Fort Campbell media release. Trump Military Parade: Why President Trump is hosting a military parade on his birthday and what to know about June 14 The vintage Vietnam-era uniforms worn will represent the Army's service in that conflict, and honor historic 101st Airborne Division's battles such as 'Hamburger Hill.' Additionally, the base's 'Transformation in Contact' platoon will be there to represent the "Army of the future" as the 101st of today employs the most modern vehicles, weapons, drones and equipment, the release said. Meiners said the platoon will showcase Infantry Squad Vehicles (ISV), a Small Multipurpose Equipment Transporter (S-MET), Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) and small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Fort Campbell soldiers will also participate in events around the parade, including an Army-wide fitness competition, sports activities, a re-enlistment ceremony and live music from the 101st Airborne Division Band. The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST/ 5:30 CST. The route will begin at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and cross the Potomac River to the National Mall. Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@ or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Fort Campbell soldiers head to D.C. for Trump military parade
