Trump Sends National Guard to Los Angeles as Immigration Protests Turn Violent
President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to intensifying protests sparked by federal immigration raids. The announcement, made Saturday, drew swift backlash from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move “purposefully inflammatory.”
The deployment follows two days of unrest triggered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the city. Over 100 undocumented migrants, including five alleged gang members, were arrested during coordinated raids. As the news spread, Los Angeles home to one of the country’s largest Latino populations saw an eruption of public outrage.
Protesters took to the streets in neighborhoods like Compton and Paramount, where clashes with authorities turned violent. Video footage captured a vehicle engulfed in flames and demonstrators throwing rocks and fireworks at federal vehicles. Makeshift barricades made from shopping carts and cement blocks were seen across key intersections.
The White House defended the decision, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, “President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester under California’s feckless Democratic leadership. The Trump Administration has zero tolerance for violence, especially when aimed at law enforcement.”
Governor Newsom condemned the deployment on social media: “This move is designed to provoke and escalate. The federal government is seizing control of the California National Guard—not because local law enforcement lacks resources, but to create a political spectacle. Protest peacefully. Don’t take the bait.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed the Guard would be in position within 24 hours. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added that active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton are on standby should violence worsen.
Legal experts have questioned the president’s use of Title 10 federal authority for mobilizing the National Guard without invoking the Insurrection Act. Constitutional law professor Jessica Levinson noted, “The Guard will likely serve in a support role. There are strict limitations on using military force for domestic policing.”
Tensions flared further on Friday when ICE targeted several Los Angeles-area workplaces in large-scale raids. A protest erupted outside a suspected federal staging site in Paramount, resulting in tense confrontations between demonstrators and officers.
Mayor Karen Bass urged calm. “Our residents are scared and rightfully so. Everyone has the right to protest peacefully. But violence and destruction won’t be tolerated. Those responsible will be held accountable,” she said.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that several arrests had been made related to the protests. “You bring chaos, and we’ll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail,” he warned.
On Saturday, tensions peaked as some protesters burned American flags and waved Mexican ones acts federal officials described as “an insurrection against U.S. sovereignty.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller issued a sharp condemnation, stating that any attempt to defy immigration law “will be met with strength.”
