A protester stands on a burned car holding a Mexican flag at Atlantic Ave on June 7, 2025, in Paramount, Calif., amid clashes between the U.S. Border Patrol and protesters. Credit – Apu Gomes—Getty Images
Large-scale protests are taking place in the Los Angeles area against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Amid reports of escalating violence and unrest, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass took to social media to issue a stark warning. “Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: Violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable,” Bass said on Saturday evening, emphasizing that L.A. personnel had “been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C.,” in an effort to “find the best path forward.”
However, there has been conflict as to what the best course of action should be. In a move that has prompted division, Trump ordered the California National Guard to quell the immigration protests, moving to deploy 2,000 soldiers to the Los Angeles area.
“Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest,” Trump said via Truth Social in the early hours of Sunday morning. “These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will not be tolerated. Also, from now on, masks will not be allowed to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why?”
Bilal A. ‘Bill’ Essayli, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said on Saturday night that the National Guard would arrive in L.A. within 24 hours, and the troops began arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday morning, local time.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who has a long history of tension with the President, labelled Trump’s move to involve the National Guard as “purposefully inflammatory” and something that 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,” Newsom said in one social media post, urging Californians to “not give them one [a spectacle]” and to “speak out peacefully” rather than resorting to violence.
“As the federal government conducts chaotic immigration sweeps across the country, the state is deploying additional CHP [California Highway Patrol] to maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace. It’s not their job to assist in federal immigration enforcement,” Newsom said in another statement on X (formerly Twitter). “The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilized country behaves.”
Read More: Trump Set to Ratchet Up His Immigration Crackdown During Next 100 Days
On Sunday morning, Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, strongly criticized Trump’s move.
“We have a President who is moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism,” Sanders said during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. “My understanding is—the Governor of California, the Mayor of the city of Los Angeles, did not request the National Guard, but he thinks he has a right to do anything he wants. I would say, that to a large degree, the future of this country rests with a small number of Republicans in the House and Senate who know better.”
However, Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma defended Trump’s decision to bypass the California Governor and deploy the National Guard to the Los Angeles area.
“I don’t know why a Governor would want to try to protect illegal activity inside a state. And the President has made it very clear, if the Governor or the Mayor of a city isn’t willing to protect the citizens of his state or the city, then the President will,” Mullin said on State of the Union.
Elsewhere, the ACLU condemned Trump’s decision, calling it “akin to a declaration of war on all Californians.”
“There is no rational reason to deploy the National Guard on Angelenos, who are rightfully outraged by the federal government’s attack on our communities and justly exercising their First Amendment right to protest the violent separation of our families,” the ACLU’s statement said. “We intend to file suit and hold this administration accountable and to protect our communities from further attacks.”
Further showcasing the Trump Administration’s stance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a warning on X late on Saturday night, stating the Pentagon was ready to mobilize active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton—a main West Coast base of the Marines. “They are on high alert,” Hegseth remarked.
In response, Newsom said: “The Secretary of Defense is now threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens. This is deranged behavior.”
What are the L.A. protests about?
The protests began on Friday after ICE agents conducted another round of operations in and around the city. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement on Saturday that ICE operations in L.A. this week have resulted in the arrest of 118 people. Overall, the DHS said: “ICE has arrested 2,000 aliens a day this week and these violent activists won’t deter enforcement operations.”
All 15 city council members released a joint statement condemning the raids.
“We condemn this in no uncertain terms: Los Angeles was built by immigrants and it thrives because of immigrants. We will not abide by fear tactics to support extreme political agendas that aim to stoke fear and spread discord in our city,” the statement read. “To every immigrant living in our city: we see you, we stand with you, and we will fight for you. Los Angeles will continue to be a place that values and dignifies every human being, no matter who they are or where they come from.”
Speaking out further, Mayor Bass said: “These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city… we will not stand for this.”
Read More: Legal Immigration Pathways Are Disappearing
The Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights hosted a press conference on Friday, organized by leaders of the L.A. Rapid Response Network. “To our immigrant community: We see you, we hear you, and we will not stop fighting for you,” the organization said in an online post. “We say no deportations. No to mass detentions. Families belong together. We belong here.”
Protests in downtown Los Angeles and in the city of Paramount in Los Angeles County have garnered national attention as some protesters clashed with law enforcement—leading to multiple arrests. Speaking to the New York Times, interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California Essayli said that over 100 people were arrested by federal law enforcement at protests on Friday, with at least 20 more arrests made during Saturday’s demonstrations.
Some initial demonstrations appear to have been organized by immigrant rights groups, while others were impromptu protests that began at the site of some of the raid operations. Further protests are planned for Sunday.
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