California Democrats slam President Trump over National Guard mobilization

President Trump’s decision to send California National Guard troops to Los Angeles County was widely condemned by California politicians, who called on protesters to remain peaceful.

Congressmember Dave Min, who represents cities in Orange County, urged residents to stop throwing rocks at federal agents.

“Clearly, Trump is trying to escalate this situation into violence, but responding in kind with lawlessness and chaos is unacceptable.

“I urge those who are protesting to remain peaceful, to obey the law, and to do all they can to de-escalate this situation, even in the face of Trump’s flagrant and outrageous attacks on our rule of law and Constitution.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said that L.A. “will always stand with everyone who calls our city home.”

“Deploying federalized troops on the heels of these raids is a chaotic escalation. The fear people are feeling in our city right now is very real – it’s felt in our communities and within our families and it puts our neighborhoods at risk. This is the last thing that our city needs, and I urge protestors to remain peaceful.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X that the troops are being sent to L.A. County “to manufacture a crisis.”

“He’s hoping for chaos so he can justify more crackdowns, more fear, more control,” Newsom wrote. “Stay calm. Never use violence. Stay peaceful.”

Assemblymember Mark González, who district includes Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon, called on federal lawmakers to “uphold due process and keep Donald Trump accountable.”

“The latest attempt to seize control of California’s National Guard and provoke unrest is not about public safety — it’s about destroying communities. California will not be complicit in the deportation of our undocumented community.”

Former L.A. City Councilmember and Senate President Emeritus Kevin de León told protesters not to “play into “Trump’s hands.” De León authored the state’s 2017 sanctuary law, which vastly limits who state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and transfer at the request of federal immigration authorities.

“Donald Trump loathes our city. He loathes our values. And he will exploit every opportunity to dismantle our progress. Donald Trump and his right-hand man, Stephen Miller, are not responding to a crisis — they’re orchestrating one.”

“This isn’t about public safety. It’s about chaos, control, and cruelty. Trump is a master manipulator who manufactures disorder to justify authoritarian overreach. And make no mistake — his next move is clear: escalate the violence, then invoke martial law.”

President Donald Trump said Sunday he was not prepared at this time to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to respond to protests in the Los Angeles area as he deployed 2,000 National Guard members to the region, a move the state’s governor condemned as “purposefully inflammatory.”

Asked whether he was prepared to invoke the law, which grants presidents authority to deploy US military domestically, Trump told reporters in New Jersey it “depends whether or not there is an insurrection.”

Pressed on whether he believed there was one happening in Los Angeles, he said, “No, but you have violent people, and we’re not going to let them get away with it,” pressing the importance of “very strong law and order.”

Asked his definition of an insurrection, Trump said, “You really just have to look at the site and see what’s happening. Last night in Los Angeles, we watched it very closely. There was a lot of violence there.”

Trump was asked about comments from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who posted Saturday that active-duty Marines stationed at nearby Camp Pendleton were on “high alert” to support the National Guard.

“We’re going to see what we need. We’ll send whatever we need to make sure there is law and order,” Trump said as he prepared to depart for Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

He said the administration would be watching immigration protests in other cities “very closely.”

Trump described California Gov. Gavin Newsom as “incompetent” and weighed in on his Friday call with the Democrat, which lasted 40 minutes, according to Newsom’s office.

“I said, ‘Look, you gotta take care of this, otherwise I’m sending in the troops.’ That’s what we did,” Trump said of the call.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom tonight said the Trump administration’s move to federalize and deploy the state National Guard is being done not because of a legitimate need but due to the desire for a “spectacle.”

Newsom acknowledged the Trump administration’s move to use the California National Guard to protect federal agents and help arrest troublemakers during protests against federal immigration raids, and he urged demonstrators to remain peaceful.

“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,” the governor said in a statement on X.

“Don’t give them one,” he added. “Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”

The deployment of the California National Guard might end up being a first step if federal agents are attacked again in Los Angeles, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said tonight, adding that he might deploy U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton in San Diego County to support federal law enforcement.

“They are on high alert,” he said.

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The Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Central Division reported on Sunday that the National Guard is in the city and has set up at federal buildings, including the Civic Center area, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history and has conducted numerous Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, some of which have swept up individuals with proper documentation.

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday evening that he had authorized the mobilization of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after reported violence against law enforcement, specifically, ICE agents carrying out deportation raids in the city.

While the raids are following legal directive from federal authorities, protests have amid reports that detainees were being held in the basement of a federal building. ICE denied these allegations, with a spokesperson previously telling Newsweek the agency “categorically refutes the assertions made by immigration activists in Los Angeles.”

The raids in Paramount, Los Angeles County, followed similar action in locations through other parts of the city on Friday, during which police arrested at least 44 people. Some protesters have thrown rocks at officers, with one allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail, and burning items in the streets. Police responded with tear gas.

The clashes highlight deepening conflicts between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration policy, as Trump has implemented sweeping changes through executive orders and utilized the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expand deportation authority.

National Guard troops stand outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on June 8 in Los Angeles. National Guard troops stand outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on June 8 in Los Angeles. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

What To Know

Trump announced that he had mobilized the National Guard on Saturday night, citing 10 U.S.C. 12406, a specific provision within Title 10 of the U.S. Code on Armed Services that allows the federal deployment of National Guard forces if “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

Trump wrote in his order: “Numerous incidents of violence and disorder have recently occurred and threaten to continue in response to the enforcement of Federal law by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions and supporting the faithful execution of Federal immigration laws. In addition, violent protests threaten the security of and significant damage to Federal immigration detention facilities and other Federal property.”

The order continued: “To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

Despite mobilizing the National Guard on Saturday evening, troops did not arrive until Sunday morning, well after the protests had ended for the day.

LAPD Central Division on Sunday wrote on X that the National Guard had been deployed to federal facilities, stressing that “everyone has the right to peacefully assemble and voice their opinions. However, vandalizing property and attempting to seriously injure officers, whether Federal or LAPD, is not peaceful.”

“Officers are deployed and monitoring activities in the Civic Center area,” the police added.

Good Morning DTLA‼️

National Guard has been deployed to Federal Facilities.

Everyone has the right to peacefully assemble and voice their opinions. However, vandalizing property and attempting to seriously injure officers, whether Federal or LAPD, is not peaceful.… — LAPD Central Division (@LAPDCentral) June 8, 2025

What People Are Saying

Border czar Tom Homan on Fox News on Saturday said: “We’re already mobilizing. We’re gonna bring the National Guard in tonight and we’re gonna continue doing our job. This is about enforcing the law.”

He added: “American people, this is about enforcing the law, and again, we’re not going to apologize for doing it.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom on X following Trump’s National Guard announcement: “The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions. LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.”

He added: “The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery. This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”

President Donald Trump on Truth Social wrote on Saturday: “If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”

What Happens Next?

Protesters have gathered for a third day as law enforcement continues to ramp up its operations.

Activists have called for “mass mobilization” in Los Angeles on Sunday, following protests that broke out a day earlier as people across the region reacted to dozens of arrests in citywide Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

A protest was planned for Sunday afternoon outside Los Angeles City Hall, according to the advocacy groups organizing it. In a social media caption calling for attendance, the groups wrote, “NATIONAL GUARD GO AWAY! ICE OUT OF LA!”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Northern Command said around 300 National Guard troops were deployed Sunday to three separate locations in the greater Los Angeles area to conduct “safety and protection of federal property & personnel.”

The soldiers arrived after President Trump signed a memo Saturday ordering the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County, after clashes between immigration authorities and demonstrators in the cities of Paramount and neighboring Compton, where a car was set on fire.

Here’s what to know about the unrest occurring in L.A.

A car burns during a protest in Compton, Calif., Saturday, June 7, 2025, after federal immigration authorities conducted operations. Eric Thayer / AP

How did the Los Angeles protests start?

ICE officers executed search warrants at multiple locations Friday, including outside a clothing warehouse in the Fashion District. The action came after a judge found probable cause that the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, according to representatives for Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A tense scene unfolded outside as a crowd tried to block agents from driving away.

Protests also centered Friday around a federal building in downtown L.A. after word spread among demonstrators that detainees were allegedly being held in the basement of that building.

Advocates for immigrants’ rights said there were also migration detentions outside Home Depot and Dale’s Donuts stores.

On Saturday, protests erupted in the L.A. County city of Paramount after it appeared that federal law enforcement officers were conducting another immigration operation there.

Protests in Paramount continued into the evening, with several hundred demonstrators gathered near a doughnut shop, and authorities holding up barbed wire to keep the crowd back. They also gathered again outside federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles, including a detention center, where local police declared an unlawful assembly and began to arrest people.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said non-lethal munitions were fired by federal agents before deputies arrived at the scene.

“We will protect your right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or destruction of property,” Luna said in televised comments that appeared on local news. “I urge the community to approach the situation peacefully, as we do not want anyone to be harmed.”

Law enforcement clashes with demonstrators during a protest in Compton, California, on June 7, 2025, in response to federal immigration operations. RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images

CBS News Los Angeles footage showed some protesters attempting to get in the way of a U.S. Marshals Service bus, while others threw rocks and other objects at law enforcement vehicles. The protests also spread to the nearby city of Compton.

Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons told multiple news outlets that community members showed up in response because people are fearful of activity by immigration agents.

“When you handle things the way that this appears to be handled, it’s not a surprise that chaos would follow,” Lemons said.

Some demonstrators jeered at officers while recording the events on smartphones.

“ICE out of Paramount. We see you for what you are,” a woman said through a megaphone. “You are not welcome here.”

More than a dozen people were arrested and accused of impeding immigration agents, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X, including the names and mug shots of some of those arrested. He didn’t say where they were protesting.

Who was detained?

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrests of 118 immigrants this week, including 44 people in Friday’s operations. Those arrests included five people linked to criminal organizations and people with prior criminal histories, DHS said.

Following the Friday arrests, protesters gathered in the evening outside a federal detention center, chanting, “Set them free, let them stay!”

Some held signs with anti-ICE slogans, and some scrawled graffiti on the building.

Among those arrested at the protests was David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union. Justice Department spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy confirmed that he was being held Saturday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled Monday court appearance.

It was not clear whether Huerta had legal representation.

California Rep. Nanette Barragán told CBS News on Sunday that ICE enforcement and removal operations are expected, daily, for the next 30 days in L.A. County.

Protesters taunt Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies on Hunsaker Ave. on June 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

What has Trump said about the L.A. protests, and why is he deploying the National Guard?

Mr. Trump signed a memo Saturday night using Title 10 Authority to order the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard troops to L.A. County “for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense.” He also said in a late-night post shared to his Truth Social platform that demonstrators would no longer be allowed to wear masks at future protests.

“If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!” the president wrote in an earlier post to his Truth Social platform Saturday evening.

A Defense Department official told CBS News that the vast majority of the 2,000 soldiers are from the California National Guard.

“In addition, the Secretary of Defense may employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property in any number determined appropriate in his discretion,” the memo read.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post that the National Guard was being mobilized “IMMEDIATELY to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles.” Hegseth added that if the violence continues, he would also mobilize “active duty Marines” from Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. He said the Marines were already on “high alert.”

Trump administration border czar Tom Homan said in an interview on Fox News earlier Saturday that “we’re going to bring National Guard in tonight. We’re going to continue doing our job. We’re going to push back on these people, and we’re going to enforce the law.”

The president also used Title 10 authority to order the deployment of troops to the southern border to enact his immigration crackdown after taking office in January. The use of Title 10 authority is a waiver of the Posse Comitatus Act, which is a U.S. federal law that restricts the use of the U.S. military for law enforcement within the U.S., except in cases explicitly authorized by the Constitution or an Act of Congress.

A U.S. Northern Command spokesperson confirmed to CBS News on Sunday that elements of the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the California National Guard began deploying to the Los Angeles area on Sunday, with some already on the ground.

About 300 troops were deployed as of Sunday afternoon.

When asked about the soldiers’ role in L.A. on Sunday, defense officials told CBS News to refer to Mr. Trump’s memo that says the National Guard’s mission is to protect federal property and personnel — not acting as law enforcement but as support for the Department of Homeland Security.

How have local officials responded to the L.A. protests?

A spokesperson for California Gov. Gavin Newsom told CBS News Saturday night that Newsom called Mr. Trump and the two spoke for about 40 minutes.

Prior to that phone call, Newsom wrote on social media that the “federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.

Newsom said the deployment is “the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”

Whether the president can call in the National Guard without Newsom’s approval is unclear.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said that city officials had “been in direct contact with officials in Washington, D.C., and are working closely with law enforcement to find the best path forward.”

contributed to this report.