Protests Erupt in Los Angeles After Immigration Raids, National Guard Deployed Without State Approval
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles Over Immigration Raids as National Guard Deployed Without State Approval
Los Angeles witnessed intense unrest over three consecutive days following a series of controversial immigration raids conducted by federal agents. What began as isolated enforcement operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quickly escalated into citywide chaos, drawing widespread public anger, large-scale protests, and the unprecedented deployment of the National Guard—ordered directly by President Donald Trump without the consent of state or local authorities.
The situation ignited on the afternoon of June 6 when ICE agents carried out raids in several parts of the city. One of the major flashpoints was the Fashion District, where agents targeted an apparel manufacturing unit. Protesters, acting on alerts from local activists, quickly gathered and attempted to block white vans suspected of transporting detained immigrants. Riot-gear-equipped officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intervened to disperse the demonstrators and secure the area.
Later the same day, additional ICE raids occurred in Home Depot parking lots across multiple neighborhoods. Protesters accused the federal agents of disproportionately targeting Latino communities, further fueling the outrage. By evening, hundreds of people had gathered outside the Los Angeles Federal Building. Homeland Security personnel responded by firing pepper balls into the crowd, and LAPD officers moved in to break up the gathering. Over 100 individuals were arrested, including prominent labor leader David Huerta of SEIU California, who was accused of obstructing federal operations.
The tension only escalated on June 7. In Paramount, approximately 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, new demonstrations formed near another Home Depot store following rumors of an impending ICE raid. Violent clashes broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement. Protesters hurled objects at police vehicles, prompting officers to deploy tear gas. Later in the day, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued dispersal orders and warned that further resistance would be met with force, including more tear gas rounds.
As the sun set, confrontations intensified in Compton and downtown Los Angeles. Officers used rubber bullets and flash-bangs to control increasingly aggressive crowds, while demonstrators retaliated by throwing rocks, fireworks, and glass bottles. Near the Metropolitan Detention Center, LAPD declared an unlawful assembly and erected barricades to contain the unrest.
The most controversial development came on June 8, when President Trump signed a memorandum ordering the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles. The move was made without the approval of California Governor Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. By early morning, 20 Guard members had arrived at the detention center, with their numbers swelling to nearly 300 by mid-morning. They were soon joined by DHS officers in full riot gear. A combined force of Guard troops, ICE agents, and Homeland Security personnel formed a defensive perimeter around federal facilities, dispersing crowds with tear gas, pepper balls, and other non-lethal weapons.
The protests reached a new level of intensity when demonstrators spilled onto the southbound 101 Freeway, effectively shutting down traffic. The California Highway Patrol later cleared the road, but not before significant disruption. On Alameda Street, at least four self-driving Waymo electric cars were set ablaze by protesters. The resulting explosions sent thick black smoke billowing over the city. Property destruction followed as trash bins were torched, windows shattered, and federal buildings—including LAPD Headquarters, the U.S. Courthouse, and the historic Los Angeles Times building—were vandalized.
Law enforcement responded by firing rubber bullets and declaring another unlawful assembly. Flash-bangs echoed throughout the downtown area as the LAPD worked to regain control. By 6:00 PM, the majority of protesters had dispersed, although isolated groups remained near Alameda Street.
Reactions to the events were swift and polarized. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said his department was blindsided by the federal raids and noted that, under California’s sanctuary law SB 54, local police are prohibited from assisting in federal immigration enforcement. Governor Newsom condemned the deployment of the National Guard as “illegal and immoral,” promising legal action against what he described as the federalization of the Guard. Mayor Karen Bass accused the administration of inciting unrest rather than maintaining public safety.
President Trump, meanwhile, doubled down on his stance via Truth Social, urging the LAPD to arrest masked protesters and writing, “Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added fuel to the fire by announcing that Marines at Camp Pendleton were on high alert and could be mobilized if the situation deteriorated further. When questioned about the threshold for deploying Marines, Trump replied cryptically, “The bar is what I think it is.”
Other political figures also voiced concern. Congresswoman Maxine Waters condemned the administration’s actions as a targeted assault on sanctuary cities and warned that Trump was laying the groundwork for martial law. Former Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the deployment as “a dangerous escalation,” accusing the administration of sowing panic rather than protecting communities.
While the scale of the protests and the damage inflicted did not match the levels seen during the Rodney King riots or the George Floyd protests of 2020, the unauthorized deployment of federal troops marked a historic turning point. The last comparable instance occurred in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson dispatched troops to Alabama during a civil rights demonstration—again without a governor’s approval.
For video news coverage on this developing story, visit our YouTube channel THE OLIGO.
