Trump Deploys 2,000 National Guard Troops to Los Angeles ICE Protests

President Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area following a wave of protests sparked by controversial ICE raids conducted Friday and Saturday.

Protests erupted across several L.A. neighborhoods after Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out a high-profile raid in Paramount on Saturday, KTLA reported. During ongoing demonstrations, a car was set on fire in Compton, and in downtown Los Angeles, protestors lit fireworks in a standoff with federal agents, who responded with pepper balls and rubber bullets.

The LAPD declared an "Unlawful Assembly" in downtown by 9 p.m., detaining multiple individuals as federal and local tensions boiled over.

Earlier, Karen Bass condemned the raids, declaring, "We won't stand for this."

California Governor Gavin Newsom was also critical of federal interference. "The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate," Newsom wrote.

"The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers," Newsom announced in an update. "That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions."

"This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust," Newsom added.

Trump fired back on Truth Social, blaming Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for failing to maintain order. If they "can't do their jobs," Trump wrote, "the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!"

The White House justified the National Guard deployment as necessary to "address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester," pointing to attacks on federal officers during the protests. "The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence," the statement read.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth added to the mounting rhetoric, warning on X that active duty Marines from Camp Pendleton could be mobilized if violence continues.

Governor Newsom urged protestors not to "give" the federal government the "spectacle" he alleged they wanted. "Never use violence. Speak out peacefully."

Mayor Bass called for de-escalation and dialogue, emphasizing the city's focus on both public safety and post-wildfire recovery efforts.

The LAPD posted a statement at 7:26 p.m., saying that demonstrations remained peaceful and commending "all those who exercised their First Amendment rights responsibly."

As federal forces continue to arrive in Los Angeles, local officials and residents brace for potential escalation.

Originally published on Latin Times