Los Angeles is waking up on edge.
Yesterday, hundreds of National Guard troops arrived in the city, and crowds of people demonstrated against President Trump’s immigration raids. They clashed with federal agents, leaving burned cars, broken barricades and graffiti scrawled across government buildings downtown.
President Trump took control of part of California’s National Guard, deploying 2,000 members—who would otherwise report to Governor Newsom—to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles.
Protests began Friday night after ICE arrested 44 people across Los Angeles on alleged immigration violations. ICE’s Acting Director Todd Lyons said that night, ”over 1,000 rioters surrounded and attacked a federal building” and accused the LA Police Department of taking over two hours to respond to ICE officers’ request for assistance.
The LAPD denied this, saying they responded “as swiftly as conditions safely allowed,” dispersed the crowd, and arrested over 100 people.
Governor Newsom said Trump’s rare move to federalize California’s National Guard is “purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” urging protestors to remain peaceful. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Hegseth said active-duty Marines may be deployed “if violence continues.”