The Trump LA Troop Deployment Immigration Crackdown has set off intense political, legal, and public controversy. California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a warning that Donald Trump’s move to deploy almost 5,000 National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles is potentially a model for a massive, military-supported immigration crackdown nationwide. Newsom labeled the action “dictatorial” and described it as setting a bad precedent.
These soldiers first guarded federal buildings, but now they assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in making arrests. Newsom argues that the operation targets more than criminals—ICE is arresting undocumented workers simply doing their jobs. He has filed a lawsuit, cautioning that the operation will spread across the country in the name of law and order.
Newsom Sounds the Alarm
Talking on the Pod Save America podcast, Newsom charged Trump with trying to “operationalise” the collaboration between ICE and the military. He thinks Trump is setting the stage for mass deportations throughout the US.
The governor denounced Trump sending California’s National Guard without the state’s permission as going against constitutional norms. He termed the arrests ongoing as indiscriminate, adding that dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers, and seamstresses are being arrested.
Legal and Civil Issues Run Deeper
Newsom has already launched a legal action, contending that Trump was acting illegally by circumventing the state’s approval. According to existing regulations, National Guard soldiers can merely assist ICE with perimeter defense.
They can briefly detain people who assail officers—but make no arrests. Legal scholars caution that Trump’s emergency powers have shaky legal ground. Most hold that the deployment is unconstitutional and unsafe.
Protests Grow Across the Nation
Public outcry has intensified. The protests started in Los Angeles but have now reached cities such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, and Washington. The majority of the demonstrations are peaceful during the day. Nevertheless, some disturbances have emerged at night. LA’s police chief claims the military presence has heightened tensions and complicated local law enforcement.
Nonetheless, Trump maintains the deployment is required. He threatened that Los Angeles would “burn to the ground” without federal assistance.
The cost is also significant. The Pentagon estimates it will cost $134 million to deploy for 60 days. The expense is deemed unwarranted by critics, and the demonstration of force unnecessary. Newsom stated that California might be the first state to be hit—but “it clearly won’t end here.
