ICE to deploy tactical agents in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Northern Virginia

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to deploy Special Response Teams (SRTs) to five urban areas—Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Northern Virginia—as chaos has erupted in major Democrat-run cities and areas across the country, according to an MSNBC report.

An exact timeline for the deployment remains unclear, but the order to stand by has already been issued to all Special Response Teams in the affected areas. Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York have long been hostile to federal immigration enforcement and have adopted so-called “sanctuary” policies that shield illegal immigrants from deportation.

Downtown Los Angeles saw a fifth consecutive night of violence as rioters took to the streets Tuesday, defying law enforcement and clashing with police. The riots prompted Mayor Karen Bass to declare an unlawful assembly and issue a mandatory curfew from 8 pm to 6 am.

Nearly 200 were arrested after refusing to disperse, and videos on social media show rioters vandalizing property, throwing objects at police, and setting fire to debris.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, mobs of protesters turned violent Tuesday night, with widespread reports of looting, vandalism, and attacks on law enforcement. Footage from the scene shows fires being set and windows shattered, as business owners scramble to protect their property. A car was also reportedly driven through a crowd of anti-ICE rioters in Downtown Chicago.

In Seattle, anti-ICE radicals and Antifa militants surrounded the Downtown Federal Building and blocked all entrances and exits. Radicals tore down American flags at the building and lit them on fire.

Earlier in the day, during comments at Fort Bragg commemorating the United States Army's 250th anniversary, President Donald Trump slammed anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles, whom he described as "animals," for carrying flags of other countries and burning the American flag to protest federal detainments and deportations.  

Trump also floated the idea of imposing a one-year jail sentence for burning the American flag. The president said, "These are animals, but they proudly carry the flags of other countries. They don't carry the American flag. They only burn it.”