In an unprecedented exercise of federal authority, President Donald Trump sent National Guard troops into Los Angeles to help put down growing immigration-related protests. This decision is particularly timely given the near daily clashes we’ve seen between federal agents and protesters opposing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. Trump deployed the troops as a show of force against what he saw as violent insurrections against the government. He invoked the rarely used legal authority to nationalize state National Guard units.
This was especially egregious, since California Governor Gavin Newsom did not ask for the deployment of federal troops, raising the ire over Trump’s actions to a fever pitch. Newsom criticized the deployment as “inflammatory” and cautioned that it would do nothing but exacerbate tensions on the ground. The recent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Los Angeles area ignited a dramatic escalation. These moves have been met with widespread opposition from all quarters.
The clashes reached a boiling point when federal agents confronted protesters near a Department of Homeland Security facility in Paramount, south of Los Angeles. As tensions heightened, agents fired tear gas, stun grenades and pepper balls as protesters responded with rocks and pieces of concrete. The police at this point issued an unlawful assembly declaration and started the mass arrests.
Tensions Rise with Federal Response
The deployment of National Guard troops has been condemned by civil rights advocates as a dangerous escalation. For Boomerang’s Robert Patillo, a civil and human rights attorney, Trump’s move was “unprecedented” in modern history. He noted that military interventions seldom occur without a request from state governors. He cited the 1992 Los Angeles riots as an example of where the state’s leadership was the one that called in the federal troops.
“Normally, if federal troops are going to be used inside of states, it’s going to be at the invitation of the governor of that state. For example, in 1992, the California governor invited federal troops in to put down the LA riots. But if the governor, such as Gavin Newsom, has not asked for federal troops to come in, and these troops are coming in against his will, then there will be challenges.” – Robert Patillo
Trump’s administration has characterized its actions as necessary to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester” in the region. As many have noted, this is really an effort to assert federal control over the affairs of local governments. Alexandra Miller, an immigration justice attorney, criticized the raids and military presence as part of a broader strategy to instill fear within communities.
“This is creating a massive public fear tactic to undermine communities into demonstrating the force of the administration.” – Alexandra Miller
Unrest and Arrests Amid Protests
The immigration protests have created large, localized uproar throughout Los Angeles County. In the last week, law enforcement has arrested upwards of 100 activists. The protests were triggered by coordinated, aggressive ICE raids targeting undocumented immigrants. Demonstrators had raised the alarm on such tactics, claiming their increased use disproportionately harms Communities of Color and other marginalized communities.
With protests swelling on all sides around federally held grounds, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leapt into action. He declared that active-duty Marines based at Camp Pendleton are on “heightened alert” and prepared to be deployed should the violence persist. This announcement did even more to stoke local fears that the proposed airport could bring massive new militarization.
Both Trump and Newsom have used scathing language about the current state of affairs. As then-presidential candidate Trump put it, the protests were “a kind of rebellion.” At the same time, Newsom was asking residents not to provide federal agents with a show.
“They want a spectacle. Don’t give them one.” – Gavin Newsom
A Divided Response
Guard’s confusing deployment plan has pointed up a widening rift between state and federal authorities. Critics have been quick to claim that Trump’s actions herald a dangerous lurch toward authoritarianism. To be sure, critics claim that these moves threaten to erode democratic processes themselves, largely by preempting powers once reserved to the states.
“A president moving this country rapidly into authoritarianism.” – Bernie Sanders
As protests continue across Los Angeles amid heightened tensions and federal presence, community leaders and legal experts urge dialogue and caution against further escalation. The threat of violence hangs in the air as each side prepares for continued clashes.
