TikTok teen skin-care routines are harmful

First study to examine these types of videos found they put teens at risk of lifelong skin allergy

Northwestern University

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B-roll of corresponding study author Dr. Molly Hales and senior study author Dr. Tara Lagu discussing TikTok videos from the study.

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Credit: Northwestern University

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• Girls ages 7 to 18 use an average of six products for average cost of $168 per regimen
• As summer nears, authors caution only 26% of daytime skin care regimens contain sunscreen
• Videos ‘emphasize lighter, brighter skin’ and set a high standard of beauty

CHICAGO --- It turns out when teens on TikTok say, “Get ready with me,” it can be more harmful than they might realize. 

In the first peer-reviewed study to examine the potential risks and benefits of teen skin-care routines posted on social media, scientists at Northwestern Medicine found girls ages 7 to 18 are using an average of six different products on their faces, with some girls using more than a dozen products. These products tend to be marketed heavily to younger consumers and carry a high risk of skin irritation and allergy, the study found. 

The findings will be published June 9 in the journal Pediatrics. 

Each teen daily skin-care regimen costs an average of $168 (which the authors estimate typically lasts a month depending on the size of the products), with some costing more than $500, the study found. As the summer nears, the study authors cautioned only 26% ofdaytime skin care regimens included sunscreen — arguably the most important skin care product for any age range, but particularly for kids. 

The top-viewed videos contained an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients, the study found, putting the content creators at risk of developing skin irritation, sun sensitivity and a skin allergy known as allergic contact dermatitis. Prior evidence has shown that developing such an allergy can limit the kinds of soaps, shampoos and cosmetics users can apply for the rest of their lives. 

“That high risk of irritation came from both using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids, as well as applying the same active ingredient unknowingly over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products,” said corresponding author Dr. Molly Hales, a postdoctoral research fellow and board-certified dermatologist in the department of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

For example, in one video included in the study, the content creator applied 10 products on her face in six minutes. 

“As she’s applying the products, she begins to express discomfort and burning, and in the final few minutes, she develops a visible skin reaction,” said senior author Dr. Tara Lagu, adjunct lecturer of medicine and medical social sciences at Feinberg and a former Northwestern Medicine hospitalist. 

Videos ‘emphasized lighter, brighter skin’ 

“We saw that there was preferential, encoded racial language in some cases that really emphasized lighter, brighter skin,” Lagu said. “I think there also were real associations between use of these regimens and consumerism.”

These videos offer little to no benefit for the pediatric populations they’re targeting, the study authors concluded. What’s more, given how the algorithms work, it’s nearly impossible for parents or pediatricians to track exactly what children or adolescents are viewing. Lastly, there are dangers beyond skin damage, Hales said.

“It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin,” Hales said. “We're setting a very high standard for these girls. The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of ‘health’ is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness. The insidious thing about ‘skin care’ is that it claims to be about health.”

Studying teens in the TikTok environment

In the study, Hales and another researcher each created a new TikTok account, reporting themselves to be 13 years old. The “For You” tab was used to view relevant content until 100 unique videos were compiled. They collected demographics of content creators, number and types of products used and total cost of regimens and then created a list of products used and their active and inactive ingredients. The Pediatric Baseline Series used in patch testing was used to identify ingredients with elevated risk of inducing allergic contact dermatitis.

Funding for the study was provided by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health (grant number 5T32AR060710-11). Other Northwestern authors include Drs. Amy Paller and Walter Liszewski, and medical student Sarah Rigali.

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PEDIATRICS

Article Title

Pediatric Skin Care Regimens on TikTok

Article Publication Date

9-Jun-2025

 

Who gets targeted in online games? Study maps harassment risk by gender, age, and identity

Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche

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Sexual harassment in online gaming is not an isolated phenomenon—it’s part of many players’ daily experience. According to the GamerVictim research project, led by the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain, one in five gamers has experienced sexual victimization in online gaming environments. The study also reveals that women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and older players are the most affected groups across various forms of harassment.

GamerVictim found that sexual victimization affects approximately 20% of a sample of over 1,800 Spanish gamers. Regarding hate-motivated incidents, such as insults based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or political views, the prevalence ranges from 20% to 30%, depending on the type of aggression.

“Toxicity and harmful behaviors are common in online gaming environments and affect a significant portion of players,” explains Mario Santisteban, professor of Criminal Law at UMH and one of the project researchers. The survey data show that being a woman, identifying as LGBTQIA+, or being an older player significantly increases the likelihood of victimization. Other influencing factors include the number of hours spent gaming weekly and the amount of personal information shared.

The research team, affiliated with the Crímina Center for the Study and Prevention of Crime at UMH, analyzed four main categories of problematic behavior in online gaming: social violence (such as insults and hate speech), sexual harassment, economic abuse, and problematic gaming behavior.

These experiences, the study warns, have real consequences: anxiety, low self-esteem, poor mental health, and even withdrawal from gaming. Moreover, many victims also end up reproducing toxic behaviors themselves. That is, players who are insulted for personal or ideological reasons are more likely to insult others in the same way, reinforcing a cycle of violence within gaming communities.

These findings build on previous studies by the same team, including research published in the European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research in 2023. In that study, the researchers analyzed 328 matches of the online game League of Legends and found that 70% of players were exposed to some form of toxic behavior, with constant complaints and insults being the most frequent. While more severe hate messages were less common, the study warned of the normalization of disruptive conduct and its implications for content moderation.

“Competitive games that pit two teams against each other—like multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games—tend to concentrate high toxicity levels,” says Santisteban. “These environments bring together many users in limited digital spaces with ineffective control systems, facilitating disruptive or violent behavior.” Still, Santisteban emphasizes that we know very little about what happens in most online games, so studies like GamerVictim are critical.

In response to these findings, the research team argues that game developers must be more active in protecting users. “They are in the best position to adapt game design and implement preventive measures,” says Santisteban. Proposed solutions include automated detection systems, practical reporting tools, and incentives for prosocial behavior. The team also highlights that the European Union’s Digital Services Act can be a key tool to promote transparency and user protection in online gaming spaces.

GamerVictim is the acronym for the PROMETEO 2023 – CIPROM/2022/33 project, titled Phenomenological and victimological analysis and legal responses to problematic behaviors in new digital communities around video games. UMH professor of Criminal Law Fernando Miró Llinares leads the project, which includes researchers from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, the Universitat de València, the University of Girona, and the University of Zaragoza. The project is funded by the Generalitat Valenciana’s Department of Innovation, Universities, Science, and Digital Society.

CANADIAN,EH

From puck drop to brain pop

New study from Waterloo researchers shows how a hockey fan’s brain reacts to key moments in games

University of Waterloo

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Mock setup of the non-invasive brain imaging method used in the study to analyze a participant watching a hockey game on a laptop.

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What’s happening inside the brain of a passionate hockey fan during a big game? A new study from the University of Waterloo gives us a closer look at how the brain functions when watching sports, with data showing how different a die-hard fan’s experience is from that of a casual viewer.

The researchers found that during offensive faceoff opportunities, fans deeply invested in hockey showed more activity in a part of the brain called the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. This area is connected to emotional involvement and evaluative thinking — the mental processing we use to judge and interpret what’s happening around us.

“We found that for fans who really love the sport, these faceoffs were moments of intense mental engagement,” said co-author of the study, Dr. Luke Potwarka, a lead researcher in Waterloo’s department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. 

“It seems these plays signalled that something important was about to happen, something casual viewers may not notice in the same way.”

Using a non-invasive brain imaging method called Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), researchers tracked brain activity in 20 participants as they watched a professional European ice hockey game. Their goal was to understand how fan engagement shows up in the brain and whether intense fans respond differently during key game moments.

Surprisingly, the researchers noticed that no brain difference was seen during more obvious events like scoring chances, likely because even casual fans recognize when a goal is significant. However, faceoffs, which require more knowledge of the game’s strategy, seemed to trigger deeper cognitive engagement in passionate fans.

This research is important because it moves beyond traditional methods, like surveys and self-reports, which can miss real-time and subconscious reactions. 

“Thoughts and feelings often happen below the surface,” said Potwarka, director of Waterloo’s Spectator Experience and Technology Laboratory. “Brain imaging gives us a more accurate look at how fans are actually experiencing the game as it unfolds.”

The findings could help broadcasters, sports marketers and content creators better understand what keeps fans engaged and improve how live sports are presented.

“This is just the beginning,” said Adrian Safati, a PhD candidate in Waterloo’s Department of Psychology who contributed to the study. “Future studies could use this approach across different sports to learn more about what keeps fans truly hooked.”

The study, Understanding the sport viewership experience using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, was recently published in Scientific Reports. 

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Scientific Reports

Trump Is Dragging America Back to Pre-Civil Rights Norms


Permission to dehumanize comes from the top down. This is what the Trump era continues to teach us, as well as how politically convenient it is.


Detainees are transferred from buses operated by the GEO Group to a plane chartered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at King County International Airport on April 15, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.
(Photo: David Ryder/Getty Images)

Robert C. Koehler
Jun 07, 2025

Common Dreams

Basically, everyone knows that “making America great again” means making America racist again—making racism the cultural norm again, unlocking the cage of political correctness and freeing, you know, regular Americans to strut again in a sense of superiority.

This cultural norm was “stolen” by the civil rights movement. Prior to the changes the movement wrought—I’m old enough to remember those days—polite ladies at church could say, “Oh my, that’s very white of you.” And lynchings were not only normal but quasi-legal, or so it seemed, far more likely to result in postcards than convictions.

To worship racism is to deny full humanity not simply to “them” but to yourself.

Permission to dehumanize comes from the top down. This is what the Trump era continues to teach us, as well as how politically convenient it is. Dehumanizing a particular group of people—turning them into “the enemy” of the moment—is such a useful governing tool. And creating the enemy isn’t limited to waging war.

America, America! Half democracy, half slave-owning autocracy: God bless our founding racism, let’s make America as great as it used to be. Here’s how this is done, asAxios reports:
In a tense meeting last week, top Trump aide Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded that immigration agents seek to arrest 3,000 people a day... according to two sources familiar with the meeting.

Why it matters: The new target is triple the number of daily arrests that agents were making in the early days of Trump’s term—and suggests the president’s top immigration officials are full-steam ahead in pushing for mass deportations.


No wonder Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tagents seem like such brutal racists. It’s their job. Perhaps most of them believe in the moral necessity of their work—getting “illegals” out of the country, even if, oh gosh, they’re here legally. But even if they don’t. this is the work they have to do.

It’s not too difficult to scrape past the superficial terms “legal” and “citizenship” to spot the collective dehumanization of brown people. Americans capable of understanding life only in us-vs.-them—me-vs.-you—terms are getting what they long for.

This was exemplified in a recent CNN story about a surge in arrests of fake ICE agents—ordinary American guys harassing, assaulting, and/or pretending to arrest brown people. In one incident, a South Carolina white guy stopped his car on a rural road, blocking the car of brown men behind him. One of the victims recorded the incident on his cellphone.

“You all got caught!” the fake agent blathered. “Where are you from, Mexico? You from Mexico? You’re going back to Mexico!”

He then grabbed the keys from the ignition and started jiggling them in the driver’s face as he mocked his accent. One of the passengers made a call on his cellphone, causing the fake agent to admonish him: “Now don’t be speaking that pig-Latin in my fucking country!” He then slapped the phone out of his hand.

Ah, the enemy! What the incident makes public is not simply the sense of fear the Trumpers are instilling in ordinary Americans, but the fact that they’re returning those ordinary Americans to a sense of... uh, self-worth. We’re better than they are.

But of course this creates fear among everyone in the group declared to be non-American: “the enemy.” As Maribel Hernández Rivera of the American Civil Liberties Union noted to CNN after watching the video:
What we’re seeing here is we have leadership at the top that dehumanizes people who are immigrants and now this is the outcome of that dehumanizing. You end up having a violation of people’s rights, people see and hear this and they feel emboldened to go against immigrants.

Yes, this is part of who we are. Us-vs.-them hatred, fear, and contempt is basic humanity, simplified to its lowest common denominator. It’s so easy to seize a sense of hatred and contempt for an “other”—for someone who seems different. But to worship racism is to deny full humanity not simply to “them” but to yourself. You’re living as half of who you are, locked solely in your certainties—in what you know or think you know—and denying yourself the chance to learn and grow. What someone prone to racism really fears isn’t “the other”—he may well worship having a clearly defined enemy—but, rather, life’s complexity: the unknown.

Removing books from libraries is one example of this—you know, books that make people “uncomfortable,” because they push them beyond their certainties (racist or otherwise). So is the Trump-ICE invasion of universities: arresting and deporting students who make, let us say, politically incorrect statements about Israel’s genocide in Gaza. As author Christine Greer asked, “What is the point of a university if we have homogeneity of thought and silence?”

Interestingly, we’re also witnessing a seemingly opposite sort of educational confrontation, as Trump education secretary Linda McMahon recently defended a New York state high school’s right to maintain an Indigenous American name for its sports teams: “the Chiefs.” The state had imposed a ban on stereotypical mascot names. As a spokesperson for the National Congress of American Indians said, “These depictions are not tributes—they are rooted in racism, cultural appropriation, and intentional ignorance.”

No matter! America has a right to maintain its stereotypes, that is to say, keep them in public view, front and center. Toss in a few hoots while you’re at it.

I believe this much: We’ll continue to evolve beyond this smirking certainty, regardless how difficult it will be to do so and regardless how long it takes.



Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.


Robert C. Koehler is an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer. Koehler has been the recipient of multiple awards for writing and journalism from organizations including the National Newspaper Association, Suburban Newspapers of America, and the Chicago Headline Club. He's a regular contributor to such high-profile websites as Common Dreams and the Huffington Post. Eschewing political labels, Koehler considers himself a "peace journalist. He has been an editor at Tribune Media Services and a reporter, columnist and copy desk chief at Lerner Newspapers, a chain of neighborhood and suburban newspapers in the Chicago area. Koehler launched his column in 1999. Born in Detroit and raised in suburban Dearborn, Koehler has lived in Chicago since 1976. He earned a master's degree in creative writing from Columbia College and has taught writing at both the college and high school levels. Koehler is a widower and single parent. He explores both conditions at great depth in his writing. His book, "Courage Grows Strong at the Wound" (2016). Contact him or visit his website at commonwonders.com.
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'This Is What Fascism Looks Like': Beloved LA Labor Leader David Huerta Arrested

"This is about something much bigger," said the president of SEIU California, still in detention. "This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice."


SEIU California president David Huerta is pushed by a federal agent just before falling over backward and then being arrested during an immigration enforcement raid in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, June 6, 2025.
(Image: via U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli)

Jon Queally
Jun 07, 2025

COMMON DREAMS

Unions and allies in California and across the United States on Saturday are demanding the immediate release of David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West, after the highly regarded labor leader was injured and then arrested while witnessing a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Friday.

"SEIU California members call for the immediate release of our President, David Huerta, who was injured and detained at the site of one of today's ICE raids in Los Angeles," said Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California, in a statement.

"This isn't just an overreach—it's a nationwide pattern of suppression." —Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.)

In a later update, the union stated that Huerta—a veteran labor leader whose union represents over 45,000 janitors, airport workers, security guards, and other property service workers—had been released from the hospital, where he received treatment for injuries sustained during his arrest, but that he remained in custody.

The union included remarks from Huerta, who said, "We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice."


"This is about something much bigger" than his arrest, said Huerta. "This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice."

According to a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 44 individuals were "administratively arrested" in a series of raids at retail stores in the Los Angeles area. In contrast, one individual, identified as Huerta, was arrested "for obstruction" of federal officers.

"This is what fascism looks like," said California State Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat. "Secret police raids. Injuring protesters. Arresting labor leaders."

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, the chief prosecutor in the Central District of California, claimed in a post on social media that "federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant at a LA worksite this morning when David Huerta deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle. He was arrested for interfering with federal officers and will face arraignment in federal court on Monday."

"Let me be clear: I don't care who you are—if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted," said Essayli. "No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties."

A video posted by Essayli alongside his statement appears to show the moment Huerta is pushed over by ICE agents amid a chaotic scene on a sidewalk where officers are clearing an area in front of a gate for an approaching van.

Separate footage from a different angle shows Huerta going down backward due to a forceful push by the officers and landing with his neck and head on a hard concrete curb:



"Today, SEIU-USWW President, my friend, and constituent David Huerta was thrown to the ground, tased, injured, and arrested for exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity," said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who represents areas of Los Angeles. "This isn't just an overreach—it's a nationwide pattern of suppression. We must stand together."

California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom also weighed in. "David Huerta is a respected leader, a patriot, and an advocate for working people," said Newsom. "No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action."

Outrage over Huerta's arrest and ongoing detention, both from the labor union movement and immigrant rights groups, continued to spread on Friday and into Saturday.



"We refuse to stay silent while ICE terrorizes working-class communities," said the California Federation of Labor Unions (CFLU). "We are turning out and standing united in solidarity with SEIU-California, calling on the release of SEIU President David Huerta!"

In a statement, CFLU president Lorena Gonzalez called for "an end to the cruel, destructive, and indiscriminate ICE raids that are tearing apart our communities, disrupting our economies, and hurting all working people. Immigrant workers are essential to our society—feeding our nation, caring for our elders, cleaning our workplaces, and building our homes."

In a post on social media, SEIU California said: "Let’s be clear: ICE injured and detained the president of SEIU California for peacefully observing. ICE picked the wrong side. The wrong state. The wrong person. And the wrong union. David Huerta stood up. And 750,000 SEIU workers are standing with him."

'A Declaration of War': Trump Sends National Guard to LA Over Anti-ICE Protests

"The Trump administration's baseless deployment of the National Guard is plainly retaliation against California, a stronghold for immigrant communities," one advocate said.


National Guard are stationed at the Metropolitan Detention Center, MDC, in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 8, 2025.
(Photo: Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Olivia Rosane
Jun 08, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

U.S. President Donald Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard members in response to protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Los Angeles over the weekend, as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened to call in the marines.

The protests kicked off on Friday in opposition to ICE raids of retail establishments around Los Angeles. During Friday's protests David Huerta, president of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West, was injured and then arrested while observing a raid. His arrest sparked further protests, which carried over into Saturday in response to apparent ICE activity in the nearby city of Paramount.

"The Trump administration's baseless deployment of the National Guard is plainly retaliation against California, a stronghold for immigrant communities, and is akin to a declaration of war on all Californians," Victor Leung, chief legal and advocacy officer at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Southern California, said in a statement.

"They yell 'invasion' at the border—but this is the real one: Trump is seizing control of California's National Guard and forcing 2,000 troops into our streets."

Saturday's most dramatic protest occurred outside a Home Depot in Paramount following rumors of an ICE raid there. However, Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told the Los Angeles Times that the ICE agents may instead have been staging at a nearby Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office. There were also rumors of an ICE raid on a meatpacking plant that never occurred.

"We don't know what was happening, or what their target was. To think that there would be no heightening of fear and no consequences from the community doesn't sound like good preparation to me," Lemons said. "Above all, there is no communication and things are done on a whim. And that creates chaos and fear."

According to the LA Times, the Home Depot protests began peacefully until officers lobbed flash-bang grenades and pepper balls at the crowd, after which some individuals responded by throwing rocks and other objects at the ICE cars, and one person drove their vehicle toward the ICE agents.

"Many of the protesters did not appear to engage in these tactics," the LA Times reported.

In another incident, Lindsay Toczylowski, the chief executive of Immigrant Defenders Law Center, wrote on social media that ICE agents threw a tear-gas canister at two of the center's female attorneys after they asked the agents if they could see a warrant and observe their activities.



The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said that over a dozen people were arrested on Saturday for interfering with the work of immigration agents.

The first member of the Trump administration to mention sending in the National Guard was White House border czar Tom Homan, who told Fox News, "We're gonna bring National Guard in tonight and we're gonna continue doing our job. This is about enforcing the law."

Trump then signed a memo Saturday night calling members of the California National Guard into federal service to protect ICE and other government officials.

"To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States," the memo reads in part.

"The only threat to safety today is the masked goon squads that the administration has deployed to terrorize the communities of Los Angeles County."

Instead of using the Insurrection Act, as some had speculated he might, Trump federalized the guard members under the president's Title 10 authority, which allows the president to place the National Guard under federal control given certain conditions, but does not allow those troops to carry out domestic law enforcement activities, which invoking the Insurrection Act would enable.

"On its face, then, the memorandum federalizes 2,000 California National Guard troops for the sole purpose of protecting the relevant DHS personnel against attacks," Georgetown University Law Center professor Steve Vladeck explained in a blog post Saturday. "That's a significant (and, in my view, unnecessary) escalation of events in a context in which no local or state authorities have requested such federal assistance. But by itself, this is not the mass deployment of troops into U.S. cities that had been rumored for some time."

Indeed, several state leaders spoke out against the deployment.

"The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers," California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on social media Saturday. "That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions. LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need."

"The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery," he continued, referring to the devastating wildfires that swept the city early this year. "This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust."

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) posted on social media that he "couldn't agree more."

"Using the National Guard this way is a completely inappropriate and misguided mission," Padilla said. "The Trump administration is just sowing more chaos and division in our communities."

Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) added, "They yell 'invasion' at the border—but this is the real one: Trump is seizing control of California's National Guard and forcing 2,000 troops into our streets."

While the National Guard's mission is currently limited, Vladeck argued that there were three reasons to be "deeply concerned" about the development. First, troops could still respond to real or perceived threats with violence, escalating the situation; second, escalation may be the desired outcome from the Trump administration, and used as a pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act after all; and third, this could depress the morale of both National Guard members and the civilians they engage with while degrading the relationships between federal, local, and state authorities.

"There is something deeply pernicious about invoking any of these authorities except in circumstances in which their necessity is a matter of consensus beyond the president's political supporters," Vladeck wrote. "The law may well allow President Trump to do what he did Saturday night. But just because something is legal does not mean that it is wise—for the present or future of our Republic."

Leung of the ACLU criticized both the ICE raids and the decision to deploy the Guard.

"Workers in our garment districts or day laborers seeking work outside of Home Depot do not undermine public safety," Leung said. "They are our fathers and mothers and neighbors going about their day and making ends meet. Rather, the only threat to safety today is the masked goon squads that the administration has deployed to terrorize the communities of Los Angeles County."

He continued: "There is no rational reason to deploy the National Guard on Angelenos, who are rightfully outraged by the federal government's attack on our communities and justly exercising their First Amendment right to protest the violent separation of our families. We intend to file suit and hold this administration accountable and to protect our communities from further attacks."

National political leaders also spoke out Sunday morning.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on social media that it was "important to remember that Trump isn't trying to heal or keep the peace. He is looking to inflame and divide. His movement doesn't believe in democracy or protest—and if they get a chance to end the rule of law they will take it. None of this is on the level."

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) posted that the entire incident was "Trump's authoritarianism in real time."

 

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened further escalation Saturday night when he tweeted that "if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized—they are on high alert."

Newsom responded: "The Secretary of Defense is now threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens. This is deranged behavior."

"This is an abuse of power and what dictators do. It's unnecessary and not needed."

Hegseth then doubled down on the threat Sunday morning, replying on social media that it was "deranged" to allow "your city to burn and law enforcement to be attacked."

"The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE," he posted.

Journalist Ryan Grim noted that it was an "ominous development" for the secretary of defense to be commenting on immigration policy or local law enforcement at all.

Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) said of Trump and Hegseth's escalations: "This is an abuse of power and what dictators do. It's unnecessary and not needed."

Writing on his Truth Social platform early Sunday, Trump praised the National Guard for their work in Los Angeles. Yet local and state leaders pointed out that the Guard had not yet arrived in the city by the time the post was made.



As of Sunday morning, the National Guard had arrived in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount, ABC 7reported.

In the midst of the uproar over Trump's actions, labor groups continued to decry the ICE raids and call for the release of Huerta.

National Nurses United wrote on Friday: "With these raids, the government is sowing intense fear for personal safety among our immigrant and migrant community. Nurses and other union workers oppose this, and are standing up in solidarity with fellow immigrant workers. We refuse to be silent, and people like David Huerta are bravely putting their own bodies on the line to bear witness to what ICE is doing. It's appalling that ICE injured and detained him while he was exercising his First Amendment rights. We demand his immediate release."

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond said in a statement Saturday:
The nearly 15 million working people of the AFL-CIO and our affiliated unions demand the immediate release of California Federation of Labor Unions Vice President and SEIU California and SEIU-USWW President David Huerta. As the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda has unnecessarily targeted our hard-working immigrant brothers and sisters, David was exercising his constitutional rights and conducting legal observation of ICE activity in his community. He was doing what he has always done, and what we do in unions: putting solidarity into practice and defending our fellow workers. In response, ICE agents violently arrested him, physically injuring David in the process, and are continuing to detain him—a violation of David's civil liberties and the freedoms this country holds dear. The labor movement stands with David, and we will continue to demand justice for our union brother until he is released.

The unrest in Los Angeles may continue as Barragán toldCNN on Sunday she had been informed that ICE would be present in LA for a month. She argued that the National Guard deployment would only inflame the conflict.

“We haven't asked for the help. We don't need the help. This is [President Trump] escalating it, causing tensions to rise. It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are already angry over immigration enforcement."

AMERIKA

Stephen Miller brutally ridiculed by observers for 'crying' about 'insurrection'

David McAfee
June 7, 2025 

RAW STORY


U.S. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller speaks to reporters during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 1, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

U.S. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is under fire this weekend after proclaiming that there is an "insurrection" occurring with California protests.

After it was reported on social media that, "Protesters have surrounded the federal detention center in Los Angeles. California isn’t backing down, this is a full-blown standoff with the feds," Miller sought to define what is happening.

"An insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States," Miller wrote.

Podcaster Brian Allen responded, saying, "Stephen Miller is now calling the anti-ICE uprising in Los Angeles 'an insurrection against U.S. sovereignty.' Let’s be clear: over 800 protesters cornered federal agents in a garage, breached a government building, and caused widespread damage."

"This isn’t just chaos, it’s a full-blown standoff. Miller is demanding National Guard deployment and federal arrests. The stakes just got raised," Allen added. "Stephen Miller; the guy who architected family separation, is now crying 'insurrection' because Californians dared to protest ICE raids. You don’t get to weaponize the government, then act shocked when the people fight back. California isn’t backing down."

Internet personality Leah McElrath also chimed in:

"To give people an idea of where the Trump administration is wanting to take things, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is calling the anti-ICE protests in large cities in blue states 'an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.'"


Self-described "political junkie" Richard Angwin told his hundreds of thousands of followers:

"Calling peaceful protest an 'insurrection' disrespects our democracy. Protesting unjust policies is a constitutional right, not sedition. Miller's rhetoric endangers civil liberties and distorts the meaning of real threats."

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol echoed Miller's language, resulting in similar feedback.



"Let this be clear: Anyone who assaults or impedes a federal law enforcement officer or agent in the performance of their duties will be arrested and swiftly prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Attack a cop, and life long consequences will follow!" CBP wrote.

To that, speech writer Mark Salter replied, "Unless you’re breaking into the Capitol and trying to hang the VP."