LOS ANGELES: The Trump administration announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday as federal immigration agents in Los Angeles clashed with hundreds of demonstrators for a second consecutive day of protests sparked by recent immigration raids.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was prepared to activate active-duty troops if unrest escalates, stating that Marines at Camp Pendleton were on “high alert.”
Federal agents faced protesters in the Paramount area of southeast Los Angeles, where some participants waved Mexican flags. A separate demonstration in downtown LA drew around 60 people chanting, “ICE out of LA!”
The White House said President Trump had signed a memorandum ordering the troop deployment to confront “the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” Tom Homan, Trump’s border adviser, confirmed on Fox News that the National Guard would be arriving in Los Angeles that day.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the move as a “purposefully inflammatory” act, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that the decision was made “not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle.” He urged the public: “Don’t give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, warned that if Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could not restore order, “the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, riots and looters, the way it should be solved!!!”
The protests highlight the deepening clash between Democratic-led Los Angeles — where census figures show a high proportion of Hispanic and foreign-born residents — and the Republican administration, which has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of Trump’s second-term agenda.
Allegations of ‘Insurrection’
Vice President JD Vance described the protests as “insurrectionists carrying foreign flags” attacking immigration officers, claiming it was part of a broader rejection of border enforcement by political leaders.
Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller labeled the demonstrations a “violent insurrection.”
Despite this rhetoric, the administration has not invoked the Insurrection Act, according to two U.S. officials speaking anonymously to Reuters. One official noted that National Guard forces could be mobilized within 24 hours and the military was actively sourcing troops.
The 1807 Insurrection Act allows the president to deploy the military domestically to suppress civil disorder. Its last use was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, following a request from the state governor.
Video footage from the Paramount protest showed rows of federal agents in green uniforms and gas masks confronting demonstrators along debris-strewn streets. Tear gas was deployed, and witnesses reported arrests, though no official figures were released.
“They now know they can’t come into our communities and kidnap our people without meeting organized, fierce resistance,” said protester Ron Gochez, 44.
ICE Raids and Legal Concerns
The protests erupted Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carried out enforcement operations across the city, detaining at least 44 individuals for alleged immigration violations.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed about 1,000 protesters gathered that night, a figure Reuters could not independently verify.
Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrant advocacy group CHIRLA, said detained individuals had not yet received access to legal counsel, calling the situation “very worrying.”
Trump has pledged to ramp up deportations, with the White House setting a target of 3,000 ICE arrests per day. However, legal residents and green card holders have reportedly also been caught up in the sweeps, prompting court challenges.
ICE, DHS, and the Los Angeles Police Department declined to comment on the ongoing protests or Saturday’s enforcement activities.
Footage from Friday showed convoys of unmarked vehicles and vans filled with uniformed agents traversing city streets. Raids reportedly targeted street vendors near Home Depot locations, as well as a garment factory and a warehouse.
Mayor Karen Bass condemned the immigration crackdown, saying: “I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and undermine the basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this.”
