President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, citing the need to restore order following escalating unrest linked to federal immigration raids.
The move, announced Saturday, drew sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the deployment “purposefully inflammatory” and warned it could further inflame tensions rather than ease them.
The unrest follows a wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations over the past two days that resulted in the detention of more than 100 undocumented individuals — including five reportedly affiliated with gangs. In response, widespread protests erupted across Los Angeles, a city with one of the nation’s largest Latino populations.
Reports of federal agents using tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse crowds have fueled outrage among residents and activists. Video footage from the Compton area showed a car ablaze at a busy intersection, while other clips captured a protester wearing a motorcycle helmet throwing rocks at federal vehicles.
In several neighborhoods, demonstrators clashed with police, launching fireworks and constructing makeshift barricades from shopping carts and concrete blocks in defiance of law enforcement efforts.
The situation remains volatile as both federal and local authorities brace for continued protests in the days ahead.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the military action, saying, “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 a zero-tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when directed at law enforcement.”
Read also: Trump Threatens Musk Amid Fierce Budget Bill Dispute
However, Governor Newsom rejected the federal intervention, writing on social media: “This move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions. The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle. Don’t give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed that National Guard units would be deployed within 24 hours. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that active-duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton were on high alert and could be mobilized if violence escalates.
Legal experts, however, questioned the move. Law professor Jessica Levinson noted that the president was operating under Title 10 — a federal statute used to activate the National Guard — rather than invoking the Insurrection Act. “The National Guard will likely serve in a support capacity,” she said, emphasizing the legal limitations of using military force for domestic policing.
Tensions soared on Saturday following a series of federal immigration raids across Los Angeles the previous day, which had focused on workplace enforcement. In response, protesters gathered outside what was believed to be a federal staging area in the Paramount suburb, sparking tense standoffs with law enforcement officers.
Mayor Karen Bass addressed the city’s growing unease, noting that many Angelenos were experiencing deep anxiety. “Peaceful protest is a fundamental right,” she said, “but acts of violence and property damage will not be tolerated. Those responsible will face consequences.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that multiple arrests had been made in connection with the unrest. “If you bring disorder, we’ll respond with arrests,” he stated firmly. “Law and order will be upheld.”
Events took a more incendiary turn on Saturday as some demonstrators were seen burning American flags and hoisting Mexican ones, according to coverage by the Los Angeles Times. Federal officials condemned the unrest, labeling it an “assault on U.S. law and sovereignty.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller offered a sharp rebuke, calling the demonstrations a dangerous affront to national authority.