Trump deploys National Guard in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles

Trump Deploys National Guard as Immigration Protests Intensify in Los Angeles

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to respond to growing protests against immigration raids in the Los Angeles area—a decision California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned as "purposefully inflammatory."

Tensions escalated in the suburb of Paramount, where federal agents clashed with demonstrators for a second consecutive night. Protesters had gathered near a Home Depot being used as a staging area by immigration authorities. According to Fox 11 and social media reports, federal agents wearing gas masks used flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowds and temporarily closed portions of a freeway.

Since taking office in January, President Trump has aggressively pursued immigration enforcement, often using harsh rhetoric to describe undocumented migrants, calling them “monsters” and “animals.”

Late Saturday, Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guardsmen, stating it was necessary “to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The Trump administration has zero tolerance for violence or criminal activity, particularly when directed at law enforcement officials.”

Governor Newsom, a Democrat, voiced his strong opposition to the deployment on social media, warning that the move would only heighten tensions. “There is currently no unmet need,” he added, emphasizing coordination with local and county authorities.

The protests followed a series of high-profile workplace raids carried out by masked and armed immigration agents across Los Angeles on Friday, drawing large crowds and triggering prolonged standoffs.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acknowledged growing anxiety in the community following the enforcement actions. “People have the right to protest peacefully,” she said on X. “But violence and destruction will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face consequences.”

Federal authorities reported multiple arrests linked to Friday's unrest. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino commented, “If you bring chaos, we’ll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail.”

On Saturday, protesters chanted slogans against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), waved Mexican flags, and burned a U.S. flag, according to the Los Angeles Times. Makeshift barricades made from concrete blocks and shopping carts were seen blocking roads, and a crowd surrounded a U.S. Marshals bus as it exited the freeway, prompting officials to shut down highway access points to control the situation.

The White House continued its hardline messaging, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller describing the protests as “an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.”

Paramount, a city of roughly 50,000 residents located southeast of Los Angeles, is approximately 82 percent Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census data. Los Angeles itself, the nation's second-largest city, is among the most ethnically diverse in the country.