After days of unrest in Los Angeles over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox vowed the state would act differently if protests turned violent here.
“I want Utah to be the best place in the United States to protest,” he said during his monthly news conference with reporters. “I also want Utah to be the worst possible place to riot.”
He is also torn by President Donald Trump’s actions.
Trump deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to California, where an estimated 1.8 million people without legal status live. While Trump argued it was necessary due to “numerous incidents of violence and disorder” in response to immigration enforcement, state leaders have challenged the deployment in court. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the president’s order was "inflaming tensions” and it violated state sovereignty.
The U.S. Constitution and federal law allow the president to call on National Guard troops from the states, Cox noted, even if he doesn’t appreciate it.
“As a states’ rights person, I don't love that,” Utah’s governor said. “I wish the Constitution didn't say that, and I wish that the federal law doesn't say that, but it does say that, so that always is an option.”
At the same time, Cox was thankful the president was willing to step in because he agreed that Newsom didn’t have the protests under control and that federal intervention was likely necessary. Cox pointed to videos on social media but didn’t provide any specific examples. Still, the LA Times reported that Waymo vehicles were set on fire, police cruisers were hit with rocks, some businesses were burglarized and various acts of vandalism have occurred.
“I'm sympathetic to a president who wants to make sure that we're protecting lives and property and doing everything possible to make that happen,” Cox said.
In light of what is happening in California, Cox emphasized Utah will be prepared to ensure similar rioting doesn’t occur. If unruly protests do break out, Cox said the state is going to be over prepared to handle them.
The governor also issued a stern warning to anyone who acts violently during a protest.
“The minute you start to spray paint the capitol, the second you start, you implement violence or property destruction, we will arrest you, and we will hold you accountable,” he said.
Cox also wants to “protect the rights of those who want to protest” because it's enshrined in the Constitution. He called the demonstrations that happened over LGBTQ+ Pride weekend in Salt Lake City and other planned protests in the future “wonderful.”
California isn’t the only place the federal government has discussed sending the National Guard. NPR reported that the Department of Homeland Security issued a memo requesting 20,000 troops to help immigration enforcement, including “night operations and rural interdiction" and "guard duty and riot control" inside detention facilities.
Officials told NPR the Pentagon was working with state governors to determine which guards would be sent, but Cox said he hasn’t been contacted by the administration.
“We would have to look at the situation and consider what's happening in those other states, and if that's a good use of our resources,” Cox said.
