President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles, overriding objections from Governor Gavin Newsom, following a second day of violent confrontations between protesters and federal immigration authorities.
Tensions flared Saturday near a Home Depot in Paramount, a predominantly Latino city south of Los Angeles, where federal agents clashed with demonstrators. Authorities fired tear gas, flash-bang explosives, and pepper balls, while protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles. Streets were littered with burning debris as smoke filled the air.
The unrest followed a series of immigration sweeps by federal agents the previous day, including operations in Los Angeles’ fashion district and at another Home Depot location. More than 100 immigrants have been arrested in the city over the past week, including a prominent union leader accused of obstructing law enforcement.
The White House defended the deployment, stating it was necessary to address "lawlessness." However, Governor Newsom called the move "purposefully inflammatory" in a post on X, warning it would escalate tensions. He later accused the federal government of seeking a spectacle and urged protesters to avoid violence.
In a sign of the administration’s hardline stance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton could be mobilized if violence persists.
The clashes in Paramount and neighboring Compton, where a car was set ablaze, prompted Trump’s order. Protests continued into the evening, with hundreds gathering near a doughnut shop as authorities erected barbed-wire barriers. Demonstrators also assembled outside federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles, including a detention center, where police declared an unlawful assembly and made arrests.
Earlier in Paramount, protesters confronted immigration officers near a Home Depot, lighting fireworks, blocking streets with shopping carts, and pelting Border Patrol vehicles with debris. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed additional arrests of individuals with deportation orders but did not provide details on locations or numbers.
Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons criticized the federal response, stating that heavy-handed tactics had provoked community backlash. "When you handle things this way, chaos is no surprise," she told reporters.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, accused California’s Democratic leaders of failing to protect citizens, while Trump warned on social media that if local officials did not act, the federal government would "solve the problem."
Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass insisted state and local authorities had the situation under control, with no need for National Guard involvement. Newsom’s office noted that Trump had federalized the Guard under Title 10 authority, placing them under presidential, rather than state, command.
The protests began after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 44 people on Friday for immigration violations. By Saturday, DHS reported 118 arrests, including individuals tied to criminal organizations. Among those detained was David Huerta, a union leader, whose arrest drew condemnation from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who warned of a "disturbing pattern" of suppressing free speech.
Despite Trump’s praise for the National Guard’s efforts, Mayor Bass clarified that troops had not yet arrived in Los Angeles. Interim U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli told The New York Times that Guard members would focus on protecting federal property and would likely be deployed by Sunday.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Hegseth reiterated that Marines were on standby, while California officials dismissed the deployment as unnecessary. Attorney General Rob Bonta stated local law enforcement had sufficient resources, calling Trump’s order "counterproductive."