ALBAWABA- President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County following escalating protests over recent immigration raids, sparking fierce debate and drawing criticism from California leaders.
The move came late Saturday after a second day of protests rocked the city in response to widespread arrests during coordinated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across Los Angeles.
Demonstrators clashed with federal agents in multiple locations, including outside a Home Depot in Paramount, where agents had reportedly set up staging areas, and near a federal building downtown where protesters believed detainees were being held, as reported by NBC News.
Law enforcement responded with less-than-lethal munitions and tear gas to disperse crowds. The LAPD reported several arrests after protesters defied dispersal orders and returned to restricted areas.
The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed more than a dozen arrests, accusing protesters of obstructing federal operations.
President Trump’s memo to federalize and deploy the National Guard described the unrest as “lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” and he praised the Guard on social media for a “job well done.”
However, as of Saturday night, troops had not yet arrived in the city, though a heavy police presence remained on the streets past midnight.
California leaders pushed back. Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move as a political stunt designed to inflame tensions. “This is not about safety,” Newsom wrote on X. “It’s about creating a spectacle.” He urged protesters to remain peaceful, warning them not to “give them one.”
Senator Adam Schiff echoed the governor’s concerns, accusing Trump of escalating the situation for political gain. Meanwhile, President Trump added a new restriction, stating that “masks will no longer be allowed in demonstrations,” and vowed to crack down on what he called “radical leftist protests led by agitators.”
The unrest began Friday after ICE executed search warrants at several locations, including a clothing warehouse in the Fashion District. Homeland Security Investigations said the operation followed a court finding that employers were using fraudulent documents for workers.
As protests continued into the weekend, organizers called for a third day of demonstrations on Sunday, signaling that tensions between federal authorities and local communities show no sign of cooling.
