Trump Deploys 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles Amid Migrant Raid Protests

President Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles following violent clashes sparked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on undocumented migrants. The city has seen escalating unrest, particularly in the predominantly Latino district of Paramount.

The federal move comes after two consecutive days of protests, during which ICE agents used tear gas and flashbangs to disperse crowds. On Saturday, tensions flared again outside a Home Depot store, where residents reported tear gas-filled air and frightened migrants hiding inside local businesses.

So far, 118 arrests have been made in LA this week as part of ICE operations, including 44 on Friday alone. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the raids as "cruel" and criticized Trump's decision to bypass state authority by taking direct control of the National Guard deployment — a move Newsom's office described as "purposefully inflammatory."

Trump, in posts on Truth Social, blasted both Governor Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, labeling them "incompetent" and stating that the federal government would “solve the problem” if local leaders failed to act. He also declared that protesters would no longer be allowed to wear masks during demonstrations.

At a press briefing in Los Angeles, Trump’s border security advisor, Tom Homan, warned there would be "zero tolerance" for violence or destruction of property. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to mobilize active-duty marines from Camp Pendleton if disturbances continue.

The White House defended the deployment, saying in a press release that “violent mobs” had attacked federal officers during routine deportation operations and accused California’s Democratic leadership of failing to protect its citizens.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted on X: “You bring chaos, and we’ll bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail.”

Mayor Karen Bass and advocacy groups, including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, expressed alarm over what they termed a campaign of intimidation. “These are workers. These are fathers and mothers. And this has to stop,” said coalition leader Angelica Salas.

Governor Newsom has called for calm, urging protesters not to respond with violence and avoid giving the federal government "the spectacle it wants."