Detroit mayoral candidate and former Police Chief James Craig voiced support for President Donald Trump’s unilateral deployment of National Guard troops to end Los Angeles protests against immigration raids. 

Demonstrations started last week outside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center in opposition to federal raids where masked immigration officers arrested more than 200 people, sometimes without warrants. Tensions escalated after federal authorities used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bangs against demonstrators on Friday. Thousands of protesters took to the streets over the weekend, temporarily blocking a major freeway and setting self-driving cars on fire.

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“The scenes unfolding in Los Angeles underscore what happens when leadership is weak and hesitant,” Craig said in a statement Sunday. “A mayor and governor’s primary duty is to protect their citizens and ensure the stability of their communities. Detroiters deserve a mayor who has a proven track record of doing just that.”

Craig was an officer in the Los Angeles Police Department for most of his law enforcement career, having moved there after being laid off by the Detroit Police Department in 1981. He later became chief of police in Portland, Maine, and Cincinnati before returning to Detroit to lead the police department from 2013 to 2020. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that his office will sue the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard without his request, a rare move Newsom called illegal and “purposefully inflammatory.” The Trump administration invoked a federal law that places National Guard troops under his command when “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.” 

Craig said he would coordinate with the White House over the governor if a similar situation unfolded in Detroit. 

“Even if the federal government acts without the governor, I’d ensure any deployment of the National Guard in Detroit is coordinated with local law enforcement to prevent confusion and protect civil liberties,” Craig said. 

Trump supported arresting Newsom on Monday. The White House’s border czar Tom Homan said he threatened the arrest of anyone who tries to obstruct immigration enforcement. Newsom dared Homan to make good on the promise over the weekend. 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement condemning the immigration raids, saying “these tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city.” Craig said deploying the National Guard “should never be the first response,” but should remain on the table “when local leadership fails to maintain order and protect lives.” 

“Ideally, deployment should happen in coordination with the governor,” Craig said in an email. “But if the situation becomes a national security issue or local government abdicates responsibility, a federal response may be necessary. That’s not escalation – it’s preservation of law and order.

Craig did not immediately respond to a request for comment on when demonstrations become a national security threat. 

Craig is one of nine candidates running for mayor, including businessman Jonathan Barlow, City Council Member Fred Durhal III, businessman Joel Haashiim, former council president and nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., Attorney Todd Perkins, Council President Mary Sheffield and businesswoman DaNetta Simpson. 

Detroit candidates have rarely spoken about their stance on federal immigration enforcement, if at all. A recent poll of 500 likely primary voters by Lansing-based pollster Glengariff Group found most voters (79%) oppose using city resources to support federal immigration enforcement. 

The former chief takes credit for “successfully navigating” Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 without widespread unrest, saying his department at the time prioritized a

proactive, community-focused approach that fostered trust and quelled tensions safely.

In 2020, a U.S. federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to curb police force, ruling that officers couldn’t use batons, gas, rubber bullets or chokeholds on protesters who don’t pose a physical threat. The city of Detroit later settled a $1 million lawsuit alleging police used excessive force under Craig’s leadership.

Craig said he would emphasize de-escalating conflicts with protesters and craft “a clear, escalating response protocol when protests turn unlawful or dangerous.” Craig said he would engage trusted community leaders, faith-based organizations, and neighborhood groups and hold public briefings to ensure transparency.

“I would authorize tear gas only when there’s an imminent threat to public safety and after multiple warnings,” Craig said in an email. “It’s about proportionate response. We don’t escalate – we respond to protect.”

Craig’s mayoral campaign has pitched him as a “crisis-trained” leader who has close ties with the Trump administration. He’s often criticized Democratic mayors in other cities like New Orleans, Los Angeles and Chicago. In an interview with BridgeDetroit, Craig said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has “done more for illegal migrants than he has for his vulnerable communities in south and west Chicago.”

Craig said he’s in favor of targeted federal immigration enforcement “to take illegal migrants who are criminals out of Detroit.”

“We’re not the immigration police,” Craig said. “We’re not a sanctuary city, but we are a welcoming city. I’ve had good relationships in Southwest Detroit. However, if someone is a criminal (there should be) zero tolerance. Going in without reasonable suspicion that someone is wanted for a crime, that’s troubling. We have a community here of law abiding folks that are here in our community. They need to be protected.”

Unlike Detroit, Los Angles passed a “sanctuary city” ordinance that prevents local and state law enforcement agencies from assisting federal immigration enforcement activity. 

Mayor Mike Duggan, who decided not to seek reelection so he could run for governor as an independent candidate in 2026, said Detroit would not resist federal efforts to remove people living here illegally.

Detroit immigration rights advocates are calling for the release of Maykol Bogoya-Duarte, an 18-year-old Detroit Public Schools Community District student who was detained during a May traffic stop while traveling to a high school field trip. Advocates want Bogoya-Duarte to be released so he can finish high school. 

Craig did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bogoya-Duarte’s detention.