Vice President JD Vance was expected to arrive in Los Angeles Friday afternoon as federal agents continue the crackdown on illegal immigration.
Vance departed Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly after 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with his flight of about five hours likely destined for Los Angeles International Airport.
According to the White House, Vance “will tour a multi-agency Federal Joint Operations Center, a Federal Mobile Command Center, meet with leadership and Marines, and deliver brief remarks.”
Visits by the president or vice president often require road closures to provide security for motorcades.
The White House did not indicate the nature of Vance’s remarks.
In recent weeks the administration has criticized state and local Democrats for immigration “sanctuary” policies and accused them of hindering federal agents from enforcing immigration laws.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made similar remarks in LA last week during a brief visit that was highlighted by the brief detention of Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, who was forcibly removed from a Noem press conference.
The White House did not specify where Vance would speak. Noem’s media briefing was at the federal building in West LA, where U.S. Marines have been stationed in as a protective measure.
California National Guard troops, which President Donald Trump federalized earlier this month, have been stationed at the downtown LA complex of federal buildings to protect the structures from protests over ongoing immigration raids.
A federal appeals court panel late Thursday rejected a legal challenge by the state of California seeking to cancel President Donald Trump’s federalization and deployment of the National Guard soldiers without the governor’s consent.
The U.S. Department of Defense Northern Command on Tuesday reported the 49th Military Police Brigade would serve in the LA area with the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and two Marine units under a central command, totaling around 4,100 soldiers plus the up to 700 active-duty Marines.
