LOS ANGELES — President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to escalating protests over immigration enforcement raids, despite strong objections from Governor Gavin Newsom.
The move followed a second consecutive day of violent clashes between federal immigration authorities and demonstrators, including Latino community members and activists, in areas south of the city. The most intense confrontations occurred Saturday near a Department of Homeland Security facility in Paramount, where federal agents in riot gear launched tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and pepper balls to disperse crowds. Protesters retaliated with rocks and chunks of concrete, while Border Patrol vehicles were targeted in the unrest. Fires were reported in nearby streets as refuse was set ablaze.
Tensions have risen sharply following a series of high-profile immigration raids across Los Angeles this week, including operations at a Home Depot, a clothing warehouse, and within the Fashion District. Authorities have taken more than 100 individuals into custody, according to local reports. One notable arrest included a prominent union leader accused of obstructing law enforcement while demonstrating.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, the White House said the deployment was necessary to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” Officials did not immediately confirm when the National Guard units would arrive on the ground.
Governor Newsom, a Democrat, quickly condemned the decision, calling it “purposefully inflammatory” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “It will only escalate tensions,” he wrote. The governor later added that the federal response appeared to be designed to provoke unrest, urging Californians to avoid violence: “Don’t give them the spectacle they want.”
In a further indication of the administration’s hardline stance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on X that if unrest persisted, active-duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton could also be deployed. “They are on high alert,” Hegseth said.
The latest confrontations extended into Compton, where a vehicle was set on fire, and continued throughout Saturday evening in Paramount. Protesters congregated near a local doughnut shop, while authorities erected barbed wire barricades to contain the crowd.
The escalation highlights a deepening divide between the federal government and California’s Democratic leadership over immigration policy. Trump has vowed to intensify enforcement efforts and deport undocumented immigrants in record numbers, part of a broader national campaign that has sparked resistance in major urban centers.
