Homeland Security officials sharply rebuked Rep. Maxine Waters for confronting National Guard troops outside an LA detention center during anti-ICE unrest. Moments earlier, guards had closed a security gate to prevent her entry—waters shouted at them, mocking their authority and asking, “You better shoot straight.”
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized Waters for adding fuel to the chaos, calling her tone reckless and insisting she should work to defuse tensions, not exacerbate them. The agency also took issue with her assertion that the protests were peaceful—a claim contradicted by reports of violence including fires, assaults on officers, vandalism, and looting.
Officials emphasized that security measures, including troop deployments, were prompted by documented attacks against law enforcement. DHS urged elected leaders to avoid inflaming rhetoric and focus on restoring calm amidst the escalating unrest.