Los Angeles has become a flashpoint for fierce clashes between federal immigration enforcement and protesters, prompting President Donald Trump to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to the city in a move that has ignited sharp political tensions.
On June 7, 2025, after two consecutive days of protests and confrontations over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented migrants, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum ordering the deployment of thousands of National Guardsmen to quell what the administration described as "lawlessness" in California. The White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, condemned California's Democratic leadership for what she called their abdication of responsibility to protect citizens amid escalating violence.
"In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens," Leavitt said. "That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester." She further emphasized the administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward criminal behavior, particularly violence aimed at law enforcement officers.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added urgency to the situation by announcing on social media platform X that the National Guard was being mobilized immediately to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. He warned that if violence persisted, active-duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton would also be deployed, noting they were on "high alert." This threat was met with sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who labeled the prospect as "deranged behavior."
Governor Newsom also condemned the federal government's decision to effectively take control of the California National Guard, calling the move "purposefully inflammatory" and warning it would only escalate tensions. "LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment's notice," Newsom stated, emphasizing that local officials were coordinating closely and that there was no unmet need for additional federal intervention.
Newsom’s office clarified that while the National Guard is typically activated by a state governor, President Trump had invoked a provision allowing him to assume control. This unprecedented step has deepened the rift between state and federal authorities amid the ongoing unrest.
The protests were sparked by ICE enforcement operations targeting workplaces in Los Angeles’ fashion district and other areas, resulting in hundreds of detentions, including children, at the Edward Roybal Federal Building in downtown LA, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU). These raids, which began on June 6, 2025, ignited large demonstrations, particularly in the predominantly Latino Paramount district, where tear gas was deployed to disperse crowds on June 7.
Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons clarified that agents were staging, not conducting a raid on June 7, but tensions remained high. Video footage from the protests showed Border Patrol agents and demonstrators shouting at each other, with smoke projectiles reportedly used. United States Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks confirmed several arrests had been made for alleged assaults on federal agents during the unrest.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino warned protesters that those responsible for violence would be held accountable, stating, "You bring chaos, and we'll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail." U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli echoed this stance, urging the public to avoid interfering with lawful federal operations, warning that obstruction would lead to arrest and prosecution.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) responded to crowd control issues on Paramount Boulevard but emphasized it was not involved in federal immigration enforcement. The department stressed its commitment to protecting the rights of peaceful protesters while ensuring public safety for all community members.
However, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons sharply criticized local officials, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of siding with "chaos and lawlessness" during violent protests on June 6. Lyons alleged that over 1,000 rioters surrounded and attacked a federal building and claimed the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) delayed its response by more than two hours. The LAPD disputed this, stating their response was hampered by traffic, the presence of demonstrators, and the fact that federal agents had deployed chemical irritants before their arrival, creating hazardous conditions.
Mayor Bass condemned the ICE operations as terrorizing to immigrant communities, stating, "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city." She also revealed that neither she nor the LAPD had prior knowledge of the ICE raids, which further complicated the city’s response.
On June 6, 2025, the LAPD declared an unlawful assembly after a "small group of violent individuals" began throwing large pieces of concrete at officers. Officers used less-lethal munitions authorized by the incident commander to disperse the crowd. Despite these efforts, clashes continued intermittently, with reports of fireworks, bottles, and at least one car being set on fire in the Paramount area.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported minor injuries to two deputies and several detentions on June 8, 2025. A fire at a local mall was quickly extinguished, but the full extent of damage from the protests remained unclear. More demonstrations were anticipated in the coming days, underscoring ongoing tensions.
President Trump, meanwhile, used his social media platform Truth Social to rebuke Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass, calling them "incompetent" and stating that if they "can’t do their jobs," the federal government would "step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" He also announced that protesters would no longer be allowed to wear masks, signaling a hardline stance on public demonstrations.
The Department of Homeland Security condemned attacks on law enforcement as "despicable" and blamed local leaders for enabling protestors. The situation in Los Angeles has become a microcosm of the broader national debate on immigration enforcement, law and order, and the balance of power between federal and state authorities.
Advocates for immigrant rights, such as Angelica Salas of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, decried the federal operations as terrorizing hardworking community members. "Our community is under attack and is being terrorized. These are workers. These are fathers. These are mothers. And this has to stop," Salas said during a rally.
As the National Guard troops began arriving on June 8, staging outside detention centers, the city braced for continued unrest. The deployment marks a significant escalation in the federal government’s efforts to enforce immigration laws amid fierce local resistance and political controversy.
The clash between federal authority and local governance, coupled with the deep divisions over immigration policy, has left Los Angeles at the heart of a volatile and unfolding crisis. With protests expected to continue, the city’s future rests precariously between calls for law and order and demands for justice and compassion for immigrant communities.
