Ohio Senator JD Vance has made headlines after Governor Gavin Newsom of California criticized him for taking a family vacation to Disneyland. This trip took place alongside heightened immigration enforcement in the region.
Photos and videos of Vance with his family at Disneyland, posted over the weekend, caught widespread attention. Their visit coincided with rigorous immigration actions directed by former President Donald Trump across Los Angeles.
While the family was seen enjoying their time at the park, this outing stirred a wave of criticism, notably from protesters and Governor Newsom himself.
The governor took to social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, to express his discontent, stating: “Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.”
Newsom’s remarks came amid several legal skirmishes California is embroiled in, including a contentious federal raid on an illegal marijuana grow operation, resulting in many undocumented immigrants’ arrests.
In response, Vance delivered a succinct and seemingly indifferent reply: “Had a great time, thanks.”
The senator’s presence at Disneyland drew about 150 protestors to the location. Demonstrators voiced their objections, compiling their grievances with the concurrent immigration clampdowns in Anaheim.
Some protestors held signs with messages such as “No family vacation while we deal with family separation,” and even gathered at the Grand Californian Hotel, allegedly where the Vance family was staying.
A Backdrop of Historical Tensions Between Newsom and Trump
The current discord is layered atop an ongoing rivalry between Governor Newsom and former President Trump, a conflict tracing back to Newsom’s commencement of his second term.
This political spat intensified in June when Trump, ignoring Newsom’s pleas, deployed the National Guard to mitigate protestors’ escalating aggression towards Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Anaheim region, encompassing parts of Garden Grove, Orange, and Tustin, has recently become a focal point for immigration enforcement, evoking accusations of racial profiling within Latino communities.
In a recent development, federal agents detained over 200 individuals suspected of being undocumented at a cannabis-related operation.
Trump had granted his agents increased power, authorizing arrests of neighboring protestors who were labeled as “slimeballs,” an order which was ultimately struck down as unconstitutional by a federal judge.
News emerged that Orange County’s local officials were made aware of Vance’s impending visit earlier that week.
Vicente Sarmiento, the County Supervisor, vocalized concerns on KTLA about the visit’s timing, remarking that “trust in government feels fragile right now.”
He stated, “I welcome any policymaker to visit, listen, and witness the hard-working immigrant communities that make our county strong.”
“I respect the office, but I can’t respect policies that hurt our people,” Sarmiento added.
Vance’s visit came at a complex time for Orange County, a community dealing with the ramifications of increased immigration enforcement and its resounding impact on the Latino population.
The occurrence has spotlighted prevailing divides in the community, extending the discussion on familial cohesion and immigration policies.
