Protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court of Kern County in downtown Bakersfield on June 8 to protest recent ICE raids in Los Angeles. The event was part of a national day of action called “ICE Out of Everywhere” to send the message that ICE is not welcome in communities.
Protesters in Bakersfield voiced concerns about immigration enforcement and called for an end to ICE operations in the area.
Organizers said the goal of the protest was to show support for families impacted by recent raids and to demand changes in immigration policies at the state and national levels.
A protester holds a sign calling for an end to ICE operations during the June 8 protest in Bakersfield. (Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)
Protester Leila Khaled, who was at the protest in Bakersfield said the protest was organized to send a message that ICE and any agencies that work with them are not welcome in the city or state.
“No ICE. Shame on you for ignoring your constituents. Shame on you for ignoring what we need. And shame on you for continuing to support genocide and deportations,” said Khaled. “Some people might say, ‘Well, that’s only happening miles away,’ but we’re all interconnected. ICE is going to end.”
Community members rally with signs in front of the Supreme Court of Kern County, calling for an end to deportations and federal immigration raids.(Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)
The protest came just one day after President Donald Trump issued a directive on June 7 to deploy 2,000 members of the California National Guard to assist in protecting federal personnel and property, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. As part of this order, 300 troops arrived in Los Angeles.
Since June 6, protests have erupted in Downtown Los Angeles following a series of ICE raids across Southern California and other states.
The administration also announced that protesters will not be allowed to wear face coverings during the operation, and ICE will continue enforcement efforts in the area for at least 30 days.
In response, California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter to the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying the federal government broke the law by not working with the state before sending in the National Guard.
“This directive was not issued through the governor of the state as required by section 12406,” Newsom’s letter said. The letter also said California’s Department of Defense never approved or got notice of the order.
On June 9, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit against President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, challenging a federal order to take control of the California National Guard for 60 days under a rarely used law (10 U.S.C. § 12406).
According to the lawsuit, the President directed the U.S. Department of Defense to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without state approval. The order bypassed Governor Newsom and went against local law enforcement’s input.
The Governor and Attorney General argue that the order violates federal law and the Tenth Amendment, which protects states’ rights. They claim there is no emergency requiring such a deployment and that it sets a dangerous precedent.
Newsom and Bonta called the federal action unnecessary and politically motivated. They asked the court to block the order, calling it an overreach of presidential authority.
Photo Gallery: Protesters outside the Supreme Court of Kern County in downtown Bakersfield on June 8 protesting recent ICE raids in Los Angeles. The event was part of a national day of action called “ICE Out of Everywhere,” to send the message that ICE is not welcome in communities. (Haley Duval/Kern Sol News)
