President Donald Trump sent 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles on Saturday following federal immigration raids that prompted two days of protests in the city. Protests faced federal agents in parts such as Paramount and downtown LA. With the increase in immigration arrests, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened more deployment of the military, including Camp Pendleton’s Marines.
California politicians, such as Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, denounced the deployment as inflammatory and hazardous. The protests, which were characterized by chants and brandishing of Mexican flags, are a response to Trump’s aggressive crackdown on immigration and his target of deporting thousands.
The federal government accused the protesters of insurrection, while immigrant rights activists complained of denial of legal access for detainees.
ICE Raids Spark Two Days of Protest
Federal immigration officials staged sweeps throughout Los Angeles on Friday, arresting a minimum of 44 individuals for immigration offenses. Raids were conducted in the vicinity of Home Depot stores, garment factories, and warehouses. Several street vendors and day laborers were among those arrested.
Immigration rights activists report some arrestees possess legal status but are not accessible to attorneys. The Department of Homeland Security estimated around 1,000 rioters at the protests on Friday, though this has not been confirmed.
Troops on Standby, Marines on Alert
On Saturday, Trump signed a presidential memorandum allowing for the deployment of the National Guard. Defense Secretary Hegseth added that in case of continued violence, the Pentagon is prepared to deploy active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton.
National Guard soldiers can deploy in 24 hours and were already being mobilized by Saturday night. Footage from Paramount revealed federal agents wearing green uniforms and gas masks as they moved through debris-clogged streets. Authorities arrested several protesters.
California Officials Denounce Federal Action
Governor Gavin Newsom referred to the action as “purposefully inflammatory.” He criticized the administration for staging a show and encouraged peaceful protest. “Never use violence. Speak out peacefully,” he posted on X. He also referred to Hegseth’s threat to send Marines as “deranged behavior.”
Mayor Karen Bass called the ICE raids “sow terror” and “erode the city’s safety and trust.” She further stated, “We will not stand for this.”
White House Ratchets Up Rhetoric, Incites Violence
President Trump justified the deployment on Truth Social, threatening that if Newsom and Bass “can’t get their jobs done,” the federal government will intervene. “RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!” he wrote.
Vice President JD Vance described the protests as an “insurrection” and condemned protesters for waving foreign flags. Top aide Stephen Miller repeated the charge, describing the events as a “violent insurrection.”
Despite the heavy rhetoric, the government has not used the Insurrection Act, which was last employed in 1992 during the LA riots.
Immigrants’ Rights Activists Scared
Angelica Salas, head of the immigrants’ rights organization CHIRLA, was deeply concerned. She reported that attorneys still had no access to Friday’s detainees. “That is very troubling,” she cautioned.
Demonstrator Ron Gochez, 44, said communities would not stand idly by while ICE “kidnap our workers, our people” without intense opposition. While Trump insists on pushing his agenda of arresting 3,000 migrants each day, Los Angeles is the epicenter of resistance — a city where policy, protest, and politics are colliding.
