About 113 of those people had prior criminal convictions, press secretary Karoline Leavitt says.
The White House said that more than 330 illegal immigrants were arrested for being involved in rioting in Los Angeles over the past several days and will now be deported from the United States.
In a news conference on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said 113 of them “had prior criminal convictions.”
She said that, overall, 157 people have been arrested for assault and obstruction-related charges, and that includes illegal immigrants and American citizens.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said two people were arrested for throwing Molotov cocktails at officers during the recent “civil unrest” in downtown Los Angeles, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Leavitt accused one of them of attempted murder of an officer.
The DOJ statement announcing the charges only said the person accused of attempted murder, identified by DHS as an illegal immigrant, faces charges of possession of an unregistered destructive device. The statement did not mention attempted murder.
One of the men charged was identified as Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, a Mexican national, who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer during a riot on Saturday, officials said. He was previously deported and has a criminal record, including convictions for driving under the influence and grand theft, DHS said.
Aside from Galvez, Wrackkie Quiogue, 29, was arrested for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at officers during riots. Quiogue’s immigration status is unclear, and he was also charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, the DOJ said.
“When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement.
“Possessing a Molotov cocktail or another destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.”
He added that “vile attacks,” including ones against officers during the civil unrest, might “have resulted in life-altering or life-ending injuries to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and innocent bystanders.”
Investigators are combing through FBI videos, body camera footage from law enforcement, and other evidence on social media, Essayli said in a news conference. Authorities expect to charge more people in the coming days and weeks.
The charge of possession of an unregistered destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, Essayli said.
