The tension in downtown Los Angeles escalated on Sunday due to federal immigration law enforcement actions, with approximately 300 National Guard troops deployed and confronting protesters outside federal detention centers. The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, citing illegal assembly, casting an uneasy shadow over this major West Coast city.
The direct trigger for this conflict was President Trump's order to deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles. According to the plan, the federal government intends to send a total of 2,000 soldiers. This rare federal military intervention proceeded despite California Governor Newsom's explicit and strong opposition, especially in terms of addressing domestic unrest.
Federal Military Deployment Escalates Tension in Los Angeles
According to the Los Angeles Times, the protests originated from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids conducted last Friday in Paramont and downtown Los Angeles. During the law enforcement operation, union leader David Huerta was detained and injured while attempting to obstruct the arrest, further inflaming public emotions.
Regarding the situation in Los Angeles, President Trump took a hard stance through social media, claiming that Los Angeles has been "invaded and occupied" and vowing to take action to "liberate Los Angeles". Defense Secretary Haegis also warned at a press conference that deploying Marines is not ruled out if violent incidents continue. Haegis stated:
"We will not sit idly by while federal agents are attacked while performing legal duties. If necessary, we are prepared to provide more support."
Trump Orders Deployment of Reserve Troops, State Government Strongly Opposes
National Guard is the local armed force of each U.S. state, typically governed by local authorities. However, in the federal system, National Guard Air Force and Army are reserve troops, usually deployed locally or only by federal government during wartime when main forces are insufficient.
Regarding the troop deployment, the White House emphasized that this deployment is executed under Title 10 authority, meaning these soldiers are directly commanded by the federal government, not the state government. This legal framework is typically used for war or international missions and rarely used for domestic conflicts. This immediately drew strong opposition from California Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Bass. Newsom expressed extreme anger at the federal government's decision during a press conference:
"This is a crazy act of serious infringement on state sovereignty. Before Trump's intervention, Los Angeles was not out of control. He is deliberately creating a crisis to justify more severe suppression."
Newsom has formally requested the Trump administration to immediately withdraw the National Guard. Reports indicate that this stance is supported by a joint statement from nearly 24 Democratic governors nationwide, who collectively condemned the federal government's action as an abuse of power that poses a serious threat to local autonomy.
Los Angeles Mayor Bass also expressed deep concerns about the National Guard's deployment, emphasizing that this would only further escalate the already tense situation. Bass stated:
"Los Angeles is capable of handling local affairs. This militarized intervention will only intensify conflicts, not solve problems."
Immigration Law Enforcement Controversy Sparks Conflict
Meanwhile, protesters continued to gather in downtown Los Angeles, primarily expressing concerns about the current situation of immigrant families and dissatisfaction with federal law enforcement actions. Demonstrator Maria Rodriguez told the media, "We are just asking for fair treatment and a clear path to citizenship." At the scene, many protesters held signs demanding a stop to family separation actions and calling for more humane immigration policies.
As the positions between the federal government, state governments, and protesting citizens become increasingly hardline, there are concerns about the risk of further escalation. According to local media reports, several Waymo self-driving taxis were set on fire over the weekend, and multiple federal government facilities suffered varying degrees of damage. President Trump's latest public statement, "They spit, we hit," was interpreted by the outside world as a signal of potentially more severe measures against protesters.
