U.S. President Donald Trump has ignited a political firestorm by deploying National Guard troops to the streets of Los Angeles in response to widespread protests over his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. The move—made over objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom—marks the first time in six decades a president has overridden a state’s authority to activate the National Guard, intensifying already deep divisions over Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.
The protests erupted after federal agents conducted sweeping immigration raids across Los Angeles, including high-traffic areas like the Fashion District and a Home Depot store. Clashes escalated over the weekend, with demonstrators blocking freeways and setting self-driving cars ablaze, while law enforcement responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Though much of the city remained calm, images of unrest—burning vehicles, graffiti, and Mexican flags—have been used by Trump to reinforce his law-and-order messaging.
Trump defended his decision, saying, “If we didn’t do the job, that place would be burning down,” and accused Newsom of failing to control the situation. He also authorized the deployment of 700 active-duty Marines to support the National Guard already on the ground. White House officials claim Newsom was warned Friday night to act, but his inaction forced the president’s hand. “He’s an incompetent governor,” Trump added, blaming Newsom for allowing chaos to spread.
California officials swiftly pushed back. State Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the administration, seeking an injunction to halt the deployment, which is expected to grow to 4,000 troops. Senator Alex Padilla called the escalation “a crisis of Trump’s own making,” arguing it undermines state sovereignty and was designed to provoke rather than de-escalate. Padilla said local authorities were not even notified in advance of the federal action.
The unrest comes as Trump makes good on his campaign promise to implement mass deportations, pledging the largest such operation in U.S. history. During his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly referenced President Eisenhower’s military-style immigration crackdowns, and signaled he would use broad executive authority to carry out his plans, including the domestic use of military forces.
The rapid and forceful deployment stands in stark contrast to Trump’s inaction during the January 6 Capitol insurrection, when no formal National Guard order was issued. Now backed by a more compliant inner circle, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who publicly supported the L.A. deployment, Trump faces little internal resistance in executing sweeping enforcement actions.
Despite resistance from Democrats, the administration is pushing forward with a proposal in Congress to fund a dramatic expansion of immigration enforcement infrastructure. The plan includes hiring thousands of new ICE and Border Patrol agents and building capacity to detain up to 100,000 people annually. Trump aims to deport one million undocumented immigrants each year under this policy.