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.”

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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. Mayor Bass said early Sunday morning that the National Guard had not yet been deployed in L.A. 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.” 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.”

A firework explodes near the Los Angeles Sheriff Department officers during immigration protests on June 7, 2025, in Paramount, Calif. Apu Gomes—Getty Images

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.”

People block off Alondra Blvd. and set a fire during protests against ICE and immigration raids in Paramount, Calif., on Friday, June 7, 2025. Myung J. Chun—Getty Images

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,” the statement continued. “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.” 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.

National Guard members begin arriving in Los Angeles after authorities clash with protesters

California National Guard arrived in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning, stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to city hall.

California National Guard arrived in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning, stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to city hall.

California National Guard arrived in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning, stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to city hall.

California National Guard arrived in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday morning, stopping in front of the Hall of Justice next to city hall.

LOS ANGELES — Members of the California National Guard arrived in Downtown Los Angeles shortly before 4 a.m. local time on Sunday morning, with some vehicles stopping in front of the Hall of Justice, which is next to City Hall.

The Trump administration has deployed the California National Guard in response to protests in Los Angeles that began Friday evening over immigration enforcement operations, which resulted in some clashes between demonstrators and authorities, the White House said in a statement.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum “deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness” in California as demonstrations opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue in the state, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Saturday evening.

Earlier Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the federal government was moving to “take over the California National Guard,” calling the move “purposefully inflammatory” and saying it will “only escalate tensions.”

Overnight, multiple people were detained after reentering an area the Los Angeles Police Department had ordered them to leave, the department said.

SEE ALSO | What to know about Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to LA protests

“Those detained will be arrested and booked for failing to disperse from an area where an unlawful assembly was ordered,” the department’s Central Division said in a statement posted on social media at midnight.

An order to disperse had been issued about three hours prior.

The division said “multiple” people were detained on Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple streets, which are near the local office of the U.S. Justice Department, on the eastern side of Downtown Los Angeles.

Police officials didn’t say how many people had been taken into custody.

However, in contrast to the clashes seen in the cities of Paramount and Compton, demonstrations in the city of Los Angeles against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations “remained peaceful,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Saturday night.

“While today’s events concluded without incident, the LAPD remains fully prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to any potential acts of civil unrest. Our commitment to safeguarding the rights, safety, and well-being of all Angelenos continues-day and night.”

LA Mayor Karen Bass, who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions on Friday as stoking fear, called reports of unrest Saturday outside the city limits disturbing.

“This is a difficult time for our city,” Bass said in a statement on X. “As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County. Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning. We’ve been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C., and are working closely with law enforcement to find the best path forward. Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable.”

President Trump moved to deploy 2,000 National Guard members to crack down on protests in Los Angeles.

What to Know Demonstrators protesting federal immigration raids clashed with authorities in Los Angeles.

National Guard members arrive in Los Angeles Sunday morning.

At least one person was arrested and several more were detained in Saturday’s unrest.

President Trump moved to send 2,000 National Guard members to crack down on unrest in the community of Paramount and other areas.

The presidential order also allows for the use of ‘regular Armed Forces as necessary.’

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said he has placed U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton in San Diego on ‘high alert’ to be deployed if needed.

A third straight day of protest is expected Sunday in Los Angeles.

Demonstrators protesting federal immigration raids clashed with authorities in Los Angeles. Follow live updates on the protests below.

SHE’S COLLECTED. FLASH BANGS AND TEAR GAS FROM FEDERAL AGENTS ON SATURDAY IN THE HEAVILY LATINO CITY OF PARAMOUNT, AS PROTESTERS HURLED ROCKS AND CEMENT AT BORDER PATROL VEHICLES. VIDEO SHOWS A CAR BURNING IN THE STREET. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS REPORTING A SURGE IN ASSAULTS AGAINST ICE AGENTS AND ACCUSING DEMOCRATIC LEADERS OF INACTION. THE WHITE HOUSE NOW SENDING IN 2000 NATIONAL GUARDSMEN TO, QUOTE, ADDRESS THE LAWLESSNESS THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO FESTER. DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH WARNED, QUOTE, IF VIOLENCE CONTINUES, ACTIVE DUTY MARINES AT CAMP PENDLETON WILL ALSO BE MOBILIZED. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAID THE NATIONAL GUARD IS NOT NEEDED AND ACCUSED THE WHITE HOUSE OF SEEKING A SPECTACLE, ADDING, QUOTE, THAT MOVE IS PURPOSELY INFLAMMATORY AND WILL ONLY ESCALATE TENSIONS. AT A PRESS CONFERENCE SATURDAY, CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS HAD THIS MESSAGE FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION YOU CANNOT JUST COME INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TERRORIZE CITIZENS THE WAY YOU DID. YOU CANNOT JUST CONTINUE TO COME IN AND PROFILE PEOPLE NOT KNOWING IF YOU ARE ARRESTING AMERICAN CITIZENS. ONE OF THE REASONS THESE TENSIONS ARE SO HIGH IS BECAUSE OF A SERIES OF ICE RAIDS IN RECENT DAYS AROUND LOS ANGELES. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS THAT THEY HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 100 IMMIGRANTS IN THAT SERIES OF SWEEPS. NOW, KRISTI NOEM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY, DID SAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THESE RIOTS IN LOS ANGELES WOULD NOT DETER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, MEANTIME, IS SAYING THAT THEY WILL PROSECUTE ANYONE WHO OBSTRUCTS OR ASSAULTS LAW ENFORCEMENT. ERIN. SO, JACKIE, HOW IS PRESIDENT TRUMP ABLE TO DEPLOY CALIFORNIA’S NATIONAL GUARD IF THE STATE’S GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR NEWSOM, IS OPPOSED TO THIS? YEAH. ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR NEWSOM’S OFFICE, ERIN, THE PRESIDENT IS TAPPING SOMETHING CALLED TITLE TEN AUTHORITY, WHICH BASICALLY ALLOWS HIM TO FEDERALIZE A PORTION OF CALIFORNIA’S NATIONAL GUARD AND PUTS PRESIDENT TRUMP AT THE TOP OF THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD, AS OPPOSED TO WHO WOULD NORMALLY BE AT THE HELM, WHICH IS GOVERNOR NEWSOM. WHAT HE IS NOT DOING, ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE, IS DEPLOYING THE INSURRECTION ACT, WHICH IS A CONTROVERSIAL TACTIC THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP FLOATED. IF YOU MAY REMEMBER, BACK DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS, DURING HIS FIRST TERM, HE NEVER ACTUALLY DID DEPLOY IT, AND HE’S NOT DOING SO. IN THIS CASE. WE’RE LEARNING, ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE, ERIN AND JACKIE, PRESIDENT TRUMP POSTED ABOUT THESE PROTESTS EARLIER THIS MORNING. WHAT EXACTLY DID HE SAY? YEAH, PRESIDENT TRUMP POSTED THIS MORNING, ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 3 A.M. THAT BASICALLY HE THANKED THE NATIONAL GUARD. AND HE ALSO SAID THAT MASKS WOULD BE BANNED AT PROTESTS, MOVING FORWARD AND BASICALLY SAID, WHAT ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO HIDE? HE QUESTIONED, NOW, THE PRESIDENT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT HOW A BAN ON MASKS MAY BE ENFORCED, WHAT THE PUNISHMENT WOULD BE. SO WE’LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT. BUT NOTABLY, IT DOES COME, AS WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS CRITICIZE ICE FOR AT TIMES USING FACE COVERINGS. AND FOR INSTANCE, IN A RECENT LETTER, SENATORS KAINE AND WARNER SAY THAT THEY HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF REPORTS OF ARRESTS FROM ICE, WHERE THEY HAVE OBSCURED PORTIONS OF THEIR FACE, WHERE THEY HAVE FAILED TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES. AND THE SENATORS ARGUED IN THAT LETTER THAT THAT INCREASES THE RISK NOT JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT FOR OFFICERS. SO THIS DEBATE OVER MASKS ON BOTH SIDES IS APPEARING TO TURN INTO A REAL DEBATE IN WASHINGTON AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE IN THE

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President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to disperse protests that began in response to immigration raids, the White House said in a statement Saturday night.The New York Times reported that troops will arrive within 24 hours, according to Bilal A. Essayli, the interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.Immigration authorities and demonstrators have clashed for two days in the Los Angeles area, with unrest beginning Friday after dozens of people were detained by federal immigration agents across different locations. The arrests come amid Trump’s crackdown on immigration, which has involved waves of raids and deportations across the country.Law enforcement in riot gear deployed tear gas and flash bangs to disperse crowds in downtown Los Angeles and the city of Paramount over the two days, with authorities reporting multiple arrests Saturday.“These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the deployment of troops “purposefully inflammatory” and warned it would only escalate tensions.“This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust,” Newsom said.Officials from the Trump administration described protesters as “lawless rioters.” The Los Angeles Police Department, meanwhile, said Saturday’s demonstrations within the city “remained peaceful” and “events concluded without incident.”Elsewhere in Los Angeles County, a crowd of protesters in Paramount became “increasingly agitated, throwing objects and exhibiting violent behavior toward federal agents and deputy sheriffs,” the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said in an advisory Saturday night. In response, the department requested additional resources countywide and deployed additional deputies.In nearby Compton, a vehicle was set on fire where protesters began to gather, video from CNN affiliate KABC showed. On Friday, video showed several projectiles being thrown at officers equipped with body armor and protective shields outside a Los Angeles federal detention center.Leavitt argued that Trump called in the guardsmen to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester” and “violent mobs attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents.”Trump invoked his authority under Title X, which allows the president to call in the National Guard as necessary to repel invasion, suppress rebellion or execute laws. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized if the unrest continues.Protesters face off with policeThe White House’s move is facing criticism from some in law enforcement. Many see the deployment of the National Guard as an overreaction that may backfire and only provoke additional agitators, one senior law enforcement source involved in responding to the Los Angeles protests said.Dozens of potentially violent demonstrators were observed by law enforcement around Los Angeles as of Saturday evening, and law enforcement officers were actively working to bring them under control, according to the source.Videos of the scene Friday show law enforcement officers in riot gear, wielding batons, holding shields and throwing smoke bombs into the crowd. Protesters chanted “Free them all” and held signs with messages including “Full Rights for All Immigrants” and “Stop the Deportations.” Video shows several officers in riot gear pinning at least one person to the ground.Other videos show the detention center sprayed with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement graffiti, with some protesters blocking LAPD vehicles close by.Further investigationsFBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Saturday on social media the bureau was investigating alleged instances of demonstrators obstructing immigration enforcement operations.“Insurrectionists carrying foreign flags are attacking immigration enforcement officers, while one half of America’s political leadership has decided that border enforcement is evil,” Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X Saturday night.Mayor Karen Bass said many in Los Angeles County are fearful following recent federal immigration enforcement actions. She added that reports of “unrest” are “deeply concerning.”“We’ve been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C., and are working closely with law enforcement to find the best path forward,” Bass said in a statement Saturday night. “Everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable.”The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it was working to ensure the safety of the public by managing traffic and controlling crowds.The response to the protests drew a conflict between ICE and the Los Angeles Police Department.“Our brave officers were vastly outnumbered, as over 1,000 rioters surrounded and attacked a federal building,” ICE said in a statement, saying LAPD took two hours to respond.But the LAPD said it mobilized personnel and acted “as swiftly as conditions safely allowed.”Sowing a ‘sense of terror’Bass, the Los Angeles mayor, characterized the immigration arrests as “mass chaos,” according to CNN affiliate KABC. The mayor said she hadn’t been told about the raids in advance. “It sows a sense of terror throughout the community,” she said. “ICE was literally chasing people down the street.”The Associated Press reported that at least 44 people were arrested by federal immigration agents. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers executed search warrants at three locations, according to a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations.The federal law enforcement activity came on the same day multiple sources told CNN the Trump administration is preparing for “large-scale” cancellation of federal funds for California.CNN has reached out to DHS for further information.One of the Friday raids was in the city’s Fashion District, where agents served a search warrant after a judge determined a business was allegedly using fictitious documents for some of its workers, U.S. attorney’s office spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy told CNN.Bass said Friday’s immigration arrests were different from previous, more organized actions.“I’ve been really worried about this from the beginning, and as far as I know, this is the first time this has happened in our city like this,” she told KABC. “We know ICE has been here, but it’s been for targeted arrests; this was just mass chaos.”“It sows a sense of chaos in our city, and a sense of terror, and it’s just unacceptable.”The American Civil Liberties Union called on “elected officials to uphold their commitment to all Angelenos — immigrants and non-immigrants alike — by taking all action necessary to grind this oppressive and vile paramilitary operation to a halt and keep our city safe and whole” in a statement Friday.Union leader arrestedDavid Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union California, was arrested by federal agents after allegedly attempting to obstruct their access at a worksite, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said in a post on X.“Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are—if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted,” Essayli said.After being treated for injuries from his arrest, Huerta released a statement condemning the citywide raids.“Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals,” he said. “We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”“No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action,” Newsom said in a statement responding to Huerta’s arrest, describing the union president as a “respected leader, a patriot and an advocate for working people.”‘Eroding trust’Protesters gathered outside the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles at roughly 4 p.m. Friday, CNN affiliate KABC reported. At one point, hundreds of activists began marching toward a detention facility on Temple Street.Families and friends who had loved ones taken by immigration authorities visited the detention center to learn more about their status, KABC reported.A young woman who spoke with the outlet said she went to the building in tears after her father was taken by federal agents.The LAPD declared an unlawful assembly around 7 p.m. and warned that demonstrators were subject to arrest if they remained in the area.Aerial footage from KABC shows law enforcement throwing smoke bombs on a street to disperse people so it could make way for SUVs and military-style vehicles.“While the LAPD will continue to have a visible presence in all our communities to ensure public safety, we will not assist or participate in any sort of mass deportations, nor will the LAPD try to determine an individual’s immigration status,” police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement about the immigration enforcement activities.“I want everyone, including our immigrant community, to feel safe calling the police in their time of need and know that the LAPD will be there for you without regard to one’s immigration status.”Newsom said in a Saturday statement, “Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel.”“Donald Trump’s chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America’s economy,” the governor said.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard was an effort to de-escalate tensions.

“I think what President Trump’s trying to do is pretty clear. He’s trying to de-escalate all the tensions that are there,” he said.

He referred to protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, saying, “What President Trump is trying to do is say this is not going to take weeks this time” to quell unrest.

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