In response to escalating demonstrations over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, National Guard troops were deployed across Los Angeles on Sunday. The move marks the third consecutive day of unrest, and it has drawn fierce criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who declared the deployment unlawful.
Troops were positioned around key federal buildings as clashes unfolded between demonstrators and law enforcement at various protest sites throughout the city. Some rallies were declared “unlawful assemblies” by Los Angeles police, citing incidents where protesters allegedly threw bottles, concrete, and other projectiles at officers. Video footage captured the torching of multiple self-driving vehicles operated by Alphabet’s Waymo in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday evening.
“Arrests are being initiated,” the Los Angeles Police Department posted on social media, as mounted units were deployed to help manage the growing crowds.
Protesters, many waving Mexican flags and carrying signs denouncing immigration authorities, converged at several locations citywide. Some were seen blocking the 101 Freeway, a critical artery in downtown Los Angeles. Others confronted officers while chanting “shame on you,” and the Party for Socialism and Liberation hosted an afternoon rally outside City Hall featuring guest speakers.
Governor Newsom strongly objected to the federal deployment, urging the White House to rescind the order to send 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County. He accused President Trump of circumventing state authority and exacerbating tensions.
“These are the acts of a dictator, not a President,” Newsom stated in a post on X.
In a rebuttal, the White House dismissed Newsom’s characterization. “Everyone saw the chaos, violence and lawlessness,” the administration responded in an official statement.
Earlier in the day, footage showed approximately a dozen National Guard members, alongside Homeland Security personnel, dispersing demonstrators outside a downtown federal building. U.S. Northern Command reported that 300 California National Guard personnel had been deployed to protect federal assets and personnel.
President Trump took to social media to condemn the protesters, referring to them as “violent, insurrectionist mobs” and pledging to take “all such action necessary” to restore order.
Speaking from New Jersey, the President warned of a forceful response to any aggression against law enforcement or National Guard units. “They spit, we hit,” Trump said, though he did not cite specific instances to support the claim.
“If we see danger to our country and to our citizens, it will be very, very strong in terms of law and order,” he added.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect who reportedly threw rocks at police vehicles in Paramount, injuring a federal officer.
Although the President has not yet invoked the Insurrection Act—a federal law that grants authority to use military forces in domestic unrest—he did not rule out the possibility, saying it “depends on whether or not there’s an insurrection.”
‘HIGH ALERT’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that active-duty troops could be mobilized if violence escalates, noting that Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton were currently “on high alert.” U.S. Northern Command stated that approximately 500 Marines were standing by, pending further orders.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the Trump administration for heightening tensions by deploying the National Guard. She also denounced those protesters whose actions turned violent.
“I don’t want people to fall into the chaos that I believe is being created by the administration completely unnecessarily,” Bass said at a press briefing.
Vanessa Cárdenas, head of immigration advocacy group America’s Voice, argued the administration was “trumping up an excuse to abuse power, and deliberately stoke and force confrontations around immigration.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on CBS’ Face the Nation that the Guard’s presence was limited to protecting federal buildings and ensuring the safety of peaceful demonstrators and law enforcement.
President Trump has reiterated his pledge to carry out record-level deportations and intensify border security, directing ICE to detain at least 3,000 individuals daily. Critics, however, note that enforcement operations have at times included legally residing immigrants, prompting legal scrutiny.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum joined in the criticism, voicing opposition to the raids and federal troop deployment.
“We do not agree with this way of addressing the immigration issue,” Sheinbaum said at a public appearance. “The phenomenon will not be addressed with raids or violence. It will be by sitting down and working on comprehensive reform.”
Trump’s Legal Basis Contested
The president has cited Title 10 of the U.S. Code as his authority for deploying the National Guard. However, this statute also stipulates that such orders should be issued “through the governors of the States,” raising legal questions about the unilateral nature of Trump’s move.
Title 10 allows federal use of the National Guard in cases of “rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States,” but limits their engagement in standard law enforcement functions.
Trump’s official memo explained that the troops would “temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur.”
The unfolding situation highlights intensifying political and legal disputes over federal immigration enforcement and the scope of presidential power during periods of civil unrest.
