Protesters face members of the California National Guard outside the Federal Building in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

President Donald Trump in his response to protests invoked a rarely used law to federalize the National Guard over the objection of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials.

This law cites three reasons for that extraordinary step to be taken: the US, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions, is invaded or in danger of invasion by a foreign nation; there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the US government; or the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the US. In citing all three, the White House indicates that these protests are the equivalent of invasion, rebellion and something the US government doesn’t feel like it can handle without the military. Read CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf’s analysis on whether Trump can lawfully take control of California’s national guard.

Perception vs. reality: The National Guard and the Marines aren’t actually allowed to conduct law enforcement. Unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, the guard is restricted to protecting federal property and personnel. The Marines, while mobilized, haven’t yet been called in to respond. But to hear Trump tell it, his decision to call in the troops has made all the difference in putting down violent demonstrations. In a social media post, he said “If I didn’t ‘SEND IN THE TROOPS’ to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now.” Read CNN’s Aaron Blake’s analysis of Trump’s messaging on the protests.

Democrats in a bind: Democrats are forced back onto politically perilous turf, as they look for ways to condemn his actions without being drawn into a broad debate over immigration or tying themselves to the chaotic scenes emerging from Los Angeles.

Misinformation is rife: Offline, in real-world Los Angeles, most Angelenos are having a perfectly normal day. But online, the fires and riots are still raging. The powerful algorithms that fuel social media platforms are feeding users days-old and sometimes completely fake content about the recent unrest in L.A.

Trump defends decision: During a visit to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Trump defended sending the National Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles. “We will use every asset at our disposal to quell the violence and restore law and order right away,” Trump said. “We’re not going … to wait for a governor that’s never going to call and watch cities burn,” he added.

David Huerta: A revered California labor leader, Huerta was arrested on Friday for his involvement in protests decrying immigration raids in Los Angeles. Demonstrators came out nationwide Monday to demand his release and after three nights of detention, Huerta was released on a $50,000 bond Monday afternoon. He remains charged with conspiracy to impede an officer, a felony that could result in up to six years in prison, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

Democratic Rep. Norma Torres, who represents parts of Los Angeles County, said today that her “constituents are very scared” of the sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions taking place in communities there.

“They don’t want to get caught up in a situation where ICE is profiling and detaining them because of the color of their skin,” Torres said on MSNBC’s “Way Too Early.”

Torres added that she and other Democratic members were barred from entering an ICE facility in downtown LA.

“It’s not supposed to work this way. In the last Trump administration we made sure we changed the law so members of Congress would not be blocked from entering and doing oversight. … Imagine if your loved one just didn’t come home one day and you tried to locate them but ICE is playing a shell game, transferring them from one location to another because they aren’t interest in due process.”

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A federal judge will hold a hearing on Thursday over California’s request to block the Trump Administration from using troops in Los Angeles to quell unrest sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as part of the President’s mass deportation effort. The hearing comes after an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order filed Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom was denied and as National Guard personnel have appeared to accompany ICE agents as they make arrests.

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Newsom and other critics claim the federal government’s mobilization of military personnel—including the deployment of 700 Marines on Monday after 4,000 National Guard members were already activated—to Los Angeles is an unnecessary and illegal intervention. In a speech Tuesday night, Newsom called it a “brazen abuse of power” that “inflamed a combustible situation.” “If I didn’t ‘SEND IN THE TROOPS’ to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday morning, referring to the January wildfires that were caused by dry conditions and strong winds.

The deployment of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines—based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.—marks the first time in over three decades that Marines have been mobilized inside the United States to respond to civil unrest. Their presence represents a striking escalation of federal involvement in what began as local protests over immigration enforcement. Newsom’s request for an immediate temporary restraining order specifically requested that a judge block plans by the federal government “to use Marines and federalized National Guard to enforce immigration laws and other civil laws on the streets of our cities.” California National Guard units received new orders on Monday that included “providing support for counter-immigration operations and not only at federal buildings,” according to the filing. An ICE spokesperson confirmed in a statement to CBS on Tuesday that “Troops on the ground in Los Angeles are providing perimeter and personnel protection for our facilities and officers who are out on daily enforcement operations. They are providing security at federal facilities in the area and support with transportation, as needed.”

“Military troops are providing protection for federal law enforcement officers as they continue operations to remove the worst of the worst from Los Angeles. If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest. The violence against ICE law enforcement must end,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin added. The state of California asserted in the filing that the deployment “creates imminent harm to State Sovereignty, deprives the State of vital resources, escalates tensions and promotes (rather than quells) civil unrest.” The Trump Administration opposed the state’s request, calling it “legally meritless” and saying the restraining order it sought would be “an extraordinary, unprecedented, and dangerous court order.” The Administration also asked for more time to respond.

The judge granted that additional time in the Tuesday ruling, giving the Administration until Wednesday to file its response and setting a hearing for the following day. The estimated cost of deploying the National Guard and the Marines to the Los Angeles area is $134 million, according to Bryn MacDonnell, a top Pentagon official testifying before the House on Tuesday. While the Marines are expected to avoid direct engagement with demonstrators, the symbolism of active-duty troops patrolling the streets of Los Angeles has reignited deep political tensions and legal debates over the limits of federal power. The Marines are tasked with protecting federal facilities and personnel, according to a statement from U.S. Northern Command, and will operate under Task Force 51—a contingency unit created to coordinate military support for domestic emergencies. The estimated cost of deploying the National Guard and the Marines to the Los Angeles area is $134 million, according to Bryn MacDonnell, a top Pentagon official testifying before the House on Tuesday.

Anti-ICE protesters clash with police near a federal building and detention center in Los Angeles. Tayfun Coskun—Anadolu/Getty Images

Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act, a rarely used 1792 statute allowing the President to use the military to suppress domestic unrest. Instead, he is relying on a broader presidential authority to protect federal property. Legal experts say that distinction may ultimately determine whether the deployments are deemed lawful. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement without specific legal authorization—a principle the Trump Administration insists it is not violating. Asked if he would invoke the Insurrection Act in the future, Trump told reporters Tuesday that “if there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see. But I can tell you, last night was terrible. The night before that was terrible.”

The protests began Friday after ICE agents carried out coordinated raids across Los Angeles, detaining dozens of workers at warehouses and other worksites. The arrests sparked immediate backlash, with demonstrators converging outside federal buildings, blocking freeways, and in some cases clashing with police. By Sunday, as images of burning self-driving cars and confrontations near the downtown federal detention center spread across social media, Trump issued a presidential order deploying 2,000 National Guard troops. A second order followed Monday night, calling for an additional 2,000 troops. Pentagon officials confirmed that about 1,700 Guard members were already active in the greater Los Angeles area by late Monday, and the Marines would be joining them in a “support” capacity. “We believe ICE agents should be allowed to be safe in doing their operations, and we have deployed National Guard and the Marines to protect them in the execution of their duties,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a hearing in Congress on Tuesday when asked about the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles.

The deployments have touched a raw nerve in California, where Democratic leaders say Trump is overstepping his constitutional authority in pursuit of political spectacle. The governor’s office said that only a fraction of the initially deployed Guard members had been given orders, and many remained inside federal facilities awaiting direction. “This isn’t about public safety,” Newsom posted on X. “It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego.” Mayor Karen Bass echoed those sentiments, calling the influx of troops “a deliberate attempt to create disorder and chaos in our city.” She urged the federal government to halt the raids and allow local authorities to manage the situation. Bass announced a curfew in a one-square-mile section of downtown from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday in response to increasing reports of violence and looting. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also expressed frustration with the federal operation, warning that the sudden arrival of troops presented “significant logistical and operational challenges.” In a statement, McDonnell emphasized the need for clear communication between agencies, noting that the LAPD had successfully handled large-scale protests in the past.

Sheheryar Kaoosji, the executive director at Warehouse Workers Resource Center, a nonprofit that seeks to improve working conditions in the warehouse industry, warns that both the immigration raids and the Administration’s response to the protests could deal a blow to businesses in the area—and the broader economy. “Between the actual ICE activity and then the escalation by the Administration to suppress protest, it’s not just affecting people going to work, but there’s not gonna be tourism in L.A.,” he says. “It’s going to kill the economy of not just California but the country.” The federal government has framed the move as a necessary precaution amid what it says are credible threats to federal personnel and infrastructure, claiming the military’s presence was meant to deter violence and protect immigration officers working in increasingly volatile conditions. The last time Marines were deployed to the streets of Los Angeles was in 1992, following days of rioting after the acquittal of officers in the beating of Rodney King. In that case, President George H.W. Bush acted at the request of then-Gov. Pete Wilson and invoked the Insurrection Act.

Despite the dramatic federal presence, most of Monday’s demonstrations remained peaceful. Thousands gathered at City Hall for a union-led rally demanding an end to immigration raids. Outside the federal detention center, protesters held hands and chanted, “Free them all!” and “National Guard, go away.”

Still, by evening, confrontations had resumed. Police began using tear gas and flash-bang grenades to disperse crowds near the Little Tokyo neighborhood, where at least a dozen people were detained. In nearby Paramount, where more arrests had occurred during earlier raids, family members of detainees held a press conference demanding information about their loved ones.

Additional protests against immigration raids have continued in several other cities, including San Francisco and Dallas.

—Andrew Chow contributed reporting.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles leaders imposed a downtown curfew Tuesday on the fifth day of protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown as his use of the National Guard escalated and the governor accused him of drawing a “military dragnet” across the nation’s second-largest city.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom asked a court to put an emergency stop to the military helping federal immigration agents, with some guardsmen now standing in protection around agents as they carried out arrests. He said it would only heighten tensions and promote civil unrest. The judge chose not to rule immediately, giving the administration several days to continue those activities before a hearing Thursday.

The change moves troops closer to engaging in law enforcement actions like deportations as Trump has promised as part of his administration’s immigration crackdown. The Guard has the authority to temporarily detain people who attack officers but any arrests ultimately would be made by law enforcement.

Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines over the objections of city and state leaders, though the Marines have not yet been spotted in Los Angeles and Guard troops have had limited engagement with protesters. They were originally deployed to protect federal buildings.

As the curfew went into effect, a police helicopter flew over downtown federal buildings that have been the center of protests and ordered people to leave the area. Riot police on horses and foot surrounded a group of a few hundred that had gathered in the area, shouting: “Move!” Most of the protesters scattered, with some regrouping and refusing orders to disperse.

Officials said the curfew was necessary to stop vandalism and theft by agitators looking to cause trouble.

Demonstrations have spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas and Austin, Texas, Chicago and New York, where a thousand people rallied and multiple arrests were made.

In Texas, where police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred demonstrators Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said Texas National Guard troops were “on standby” in areas where demonstrations are planned, Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris said Tuesday evening.

Guard members were deployed to San Antonio, according to assistant police chief Jesse Salame. He said he did not know how many were sent or details on the deployment.

LA mayor puts curfew in place

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and said the curfew will run from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

“We reached a tipping point” after 23 businesses were looted, Bass said during a news conference.

The curfew covers a 1 square mile (2.5 square kilometer) section of downtown that includes the area where protests have occurred since Friday. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (nearly 2,300 square kilometers).

The curfew doesn’t apply to residents who live in the designated area, people who are homeless, credentialed media or public safety and emergency officials, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

McDonnell said “unlawful and dangerous behavior” had been escalating since Saturday.

“The curfew is a necessary measure to protect lives and safeguard property following several consecutive days of growing unrest throughout the city,” McDonnell said.

Trump says he’s open to using Insurrection Act

Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the U.S. to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations. It’s one of the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president.

“If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see,” he said from the Oval Office.

Later the president called protesters “animals” and “a foreign enemy” in a speech at Fort Bragg ostensibly to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Bass and Newsom say are nowhere close to the truth.

In a public address Tuesday evening, Newsom called Trump’s actions the start of an “assault” on democracy.

“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next,” he said.

Newsom warned people against inciting violence, but urged them to stand up to the president’s actions.

“What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence. To be complicit in this moment,” he said. “Do not give it to him.”

The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles. Protesters blocked a major freeway and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.

The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown in the city of 4 million. Thousands of people have peacefully rallied outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids.

Despite the protests, immigration enforcement activity has continued throughout the county, with city leaders and community groups reporting ICE present at libraries, car washes and Home Depots. School graduations in Los Angeles have increased security over fears of ICE action and some have offered parents the option to watch on Zoom.

McDonnell said that police had made 197 arrests on Tuesday, including 67 who were taken into custody for unlawfully occupying part of the 101 freeway.

Several businesses were broken into Monday, though authorities didn’t say if the looting was tied to the protests.

The vast majority of arrests have been for failing to disperse, while a few others were for assault with a deadly weapon, looting, vandalism and attempted murder for tossing a Molotov cocktail. Seven police officers were reportedly injured, and at least two were taken to a hospital and released.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested Tuesday that the use of troops inside the U.S. will continue to expand.

The Pentagon said deploying the National Guard and Marines costs $134 million.

___

Baldor and Copp reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Dorany Pineda and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Amy Taxin in Orange County, California, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, Hallie Golden in Seattle, and Greg Bull in Seal Beach, California, contributed to this report.

A firework sent by protesters explodes near by the Los Angeles Sheriff Department officers during immigration protest on June 7, 2025 in Paramount, California. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Blake Wolf

5:38 PM – Tuesday, June 10, 2025

A federal judge swiftly denied California Governor Gavin Newsom’s request to invoke an emergency intervention to immediately pull back President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.

Newsom’s request follows after President Donald Trump federalized the state’s National Guard, sending in 4,000 members along with 700 Marines in an effort to tame the ongoing Los Angeles riots and lootings.

The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton. Newsom requested the judge to issue an order prohibiting the National Guard from engaging in any law enforcement activities outside of directly protecting federal property.

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Newsom requested the emergency ruling by 1 p.m. on Tuesday — with the judge quickly shooting down the request.

“Following President Trump’s doubling down on the militarization of the Los Angeles area through the takeover of 4,000 more California National Guard soldiers and the unlawful deployment of the U.S. Marines, Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are filing an emergency request for the court to block President Trump and the Department of Defense from expanding the current mission of federalized Cal Guard personnel and Marines. This mission orders soldiers to engage in unlawful civilian law enforcement activities in communities across the region, beyond just guarding federal buildings,” an official California news release stated.

“The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy. Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President. We ask the court to immediately block these unlawful actions,” Governor Newsom is quoted saying in the release.

The request was part of California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard into Los Angeles, citing “violations of the U.S. Constitution and the President’s Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the Governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted.”

The release goes on to blame Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations occurring in the Los Angeles area, claiming that they intentionally “engineered them to provoke community backlash.”

“During the course of these operations, ICE officers took actions that inflamed tensions — including the arrest and detainment of children, community advocates, and people without criminal history — and conducted military-style operations that sparked panic in the community. In response, community members began protesting to express opposition to these violent tactics, arrests of innocent people, and the President’s heavy-handed immigration agenda,” the announcement added.

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