On June 7, 2025, President Donald Trump authorised the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, California, following two days of protests over immigration enforcement operations. The decision, announced via a presidential memorandum, aims to address what the White House calls “lawlessness” in the city, but it has drawn sharp criticism from local leaders.
Protests erupted in Los Angeles on June 6, 2025, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested at least 44 individuals during raids targeting businesses, including a garment factory and areas near Home Depot stores. On Saturday, clashes continued in Paramount, a predominantly Latino area, where federal agents used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse crowds. Some protesters waved Mexican flags and chanted “ICE out of LA!” while others blocked roads with shopping carts.
BREAKING: The Trump administration is calling in the California National Guard in response to protests in Los Angeles over immigration operations that have resulted in some clashes between demonstrators and authorities. https://t.co/JMxEozHchF pic.twitter.com/ODGAYCmM2O
— ABC News (@ABC) June 8, 2025The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) reported detaining several protesters for failing to disperse after warnings, though exact arrest numbers remain unconfirmed. A car was set ablaze in Compton, and minor injuries were reported among law enforcement. Demonstrator Ron Gochez, 44, emphasised community resistance, stating, “They cannot target our workers without fierce opposition.”
Trump’s Response and Local Backlash
Trump’s memorandum, signed Saturday, cites the need to protect federal personnel and enforce immigration laws, with the deployment set to last 60 days or longer at the discretion of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth warned that active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton are “on high alert” if violence persists, a move California Governor Gavin Newsom called “deranged.”
Newsom condemned the deployment as “purposefully inflammatory,” arguing that local authorities, including the LAPD and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, are equipped to manage the situation. “This is not about law enforcement shortages; it’s about creating a spectacle,” Newsom posted on X. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed these concerns, stating, “These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt safety.”
Trump is deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after protests over immigration raids.
The White House says it’s to restore “law and order” while California leaders are calling it unnecessary and escalatory. pic.twitter.com/MaEoWYyU02
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 8, 2025The protests highlight tensions between Trump’s Republican administration, which prioritises stringent immigration enforcement, and Democratic-led Los Angeles, home to 10.6 million foreign-born residents, including 1.8 million undocumented immigrants. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, defended the raids, saying, “We’re making Los Angeles safer.” However, critics, including Angelica Salas of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, report that legal residents, including permanent residents, have been detained, raising legal challenges.
Vice President JD Vance and White House aide Stephen Miller labelled the protests an “insurrection,” with Vance claiming on X that “border enforcement is evil” to some leaders. The administration has not invoked the Insurrection Act, which was last used in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, but the deployment marks a significant escalation.
The White House insists the National Guard will restore order, but community advocates warn of eroded trust. The LAPD noted that protests in the city remained largely peaceful, urging residents to exercise their rights responsibly. As Los Angeles grapples with the aftermath of recent wildfires and immigration unrest, Bass called for dialogue with federal officials to find a “path forward.”
