Los Angeles, June 9, 2025 — Tensions surged in Los Angeles on Sunday as thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets to protest President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in response to recent immigration enforcement actions. The dramatic move, which bypassed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s authority, triggered chaos across the city and ignited a fierce political standoff between federal and state leadership.
The demonstrations, now in their third day, intensified outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where individuals detained during recent immigration sweeps were being held. Protesters clashed with heavily armed Guard troops, chanting “shame” and “go home” as a visible wall of long guns and riot shields met them at the facility’s gates.
As the standoff escalated, police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades in an effort to disperse the crowd. Protesters responded by blocking traffic on the 101 Freeway, while some set autonomous vehicles ablaze—a vivid symbol of the unrest gripping the city.
Protesters Confront Federal Power
The federal presence in Los Angeles has stoked public outrage since Friday, when the first wave of immigration arrests and raids began. By Sunday, more than 100 arrests had been made, including that of a prominent union leader who was accused of obstructing law enforcement.
Local residents and advocacy groups quickly mobilized. As the protests gained momentum, so did the pushback from law enforcement. At one demonstration in Paramount—an area with a large Latino population—Border Patrol agents in riot gear deployed tear gas and pepper balls after protesters attempted to block vehicles leaving a staging site.
Governor Newsom: “Serious Breach of State Sovereignty”
Governor Gavin Newsom issued a direct letter to President Trump on Sunday, calling the deployment of the National Guard “a serious breach of state sovereignty” and demanding an immediate withdrawal of troops.
“What we’re seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration,” Mayor Karen Bass said at a press conference Sunday afternoon. “This is about another agenda. This isn’t about public safety.”
The governor emphasized that the presence of federal troops was worsening the situation rather than stabilizing it, accusing the Trump administration of overreach in an already volatile environment.
Trump’s Justification and Legal Basis
President Trump defended his actions by invoking a federal law that allows him to deploy troops in the event of “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.” He stated that the deployment—reportedly consisting of 2,000 National Guard troops—was necessary because state leaders had failed to contain the unrest.
“There are violent people in Los Angeles, and they’re not gonna get away with it,” Trump told reporters on Sunday from Morristown, New Jersey. He warned of deploying additional troops across the country to enforce “very strong law and order.”
In a controversial comment, Trump suggested that California officials who resist the federal crackdown could face criminal charges, referencing a recent case in Wisconsin where a judge was arrested for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade capture.
Federal Troops, Marines on Standby
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the California Army National Guard’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is among the units deployed in the operation. Meanwhile, about 500 U.S. Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms remain in “prepared to deploy” status, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatening to activate them if the violence continues.
The presence of troops in riot gear sparked outrage among civil rights leaders and elected officials. Critics say the administration’s heavy-handed approach reflects a deepening drift toward authoritarianism.
“This is a president moving the country rapidly into authoritarianism,” said Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. “He is usurping the powers of the United States Congress.”
Political Fallout Deepens
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, a Los Angeles resident, condemned the mass immigration arrests and the deployment of federal troops as a “cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.” She praised those who were peacefully resisting what she described as an attack on basic rights and freedoms.
On the other side of the aisle, House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed the move, saying, “Gavin Newsom has shown an inability or an unwillingness to do what is necessary, so the president stepped in.”
The events in Los Angeles echo previous moments in U.S. history when federal intervention in local affairs sparked outrage. Experts note that this is the first time since 1965—when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama—that a president has activated the National Guard without a governor’s request.
As tensions remain high and protests continue to swell, Los Angeles finds itself at the epicenter of a national debate over immigration policy, civil liberties, and federal power. The days ahead are expected to see continued clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, with legal challenges likely to follow the unprecedented federal move.
While Trump maintains his stance that “law and order” must prevail, many Californians and national observers warn that the crisis in Los Angeles may mark a turning point in America’s political and constitutional landscape.
