San francisco: The Trump administration is preparing to send more than 100 federal agents to the San Francisco Bay Area for a large-scale immigration enforcement operation, drawing a fierce backlash from California leaders.

According to Anadolu Agency, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move, accusing President Donald Trump of creating anxiety and fear in the community for political gain, in a video posted on the US social media company X. Newsom stated that Trump sends out masked men, border patrol, and ICE (immigration and customs enforcement), comparing these actions to an arsonist putting out the fire.

In a separate statement, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie expressed concern over the deployment of masked immigration officials in cities across the country. Lurie noted that these officials use aggressive enforcement tactics that instill fear, preventing people from feeling safe in their daily lives. He further criticized the tactics as being designed to incite backlash, chaos, and violence, which are then used as excuses to deploy military personnel, thus intentionally creating a dangerous situation in the name of public safety.

On Oct. 16, Trump suggested that San Francisco could be his administration's next target in its ongoing federal crackdown on crime. At a news conference, Trump mentioned the need for communities where people are not afraid of being mugged, murdered, robbed, raped, assaulted, or shot. He expressed a desire to restore San Francisco to its former status as a great city, citing support from the area.

Polls nationwide, and in California, show widespread opposition to Trump's policy of deploying federal agents and the National Guard to US cities. Local leaders remain opposed to these actions. Trump has already deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, DC, and plans to do so in Memphis, Tennessee. In June, hundreds of US Marines were sent to Los Angeles to address unrest caused by the immigration crackdown.