PARAMOUNT, June 8: President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester in California, following protests in Los Angeles.
The White House stated that the Guardsmen were deploying to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester” in California.
California Gov Gavin Newsom objected to the move and said in a post on X that the move from the Republican president was “purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.”
The White House’s move to dramatically ratchet up the response came as protests in Los Angeles extended into a second day, where tear gas and smoke filled the air as protesters faced off with Border Patrol personnel in riot gear.
In a signal of the administration’s aggressive approach, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened in a post on X to deploy the US military. If violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized – they are on high alert,” Hegseth said.
Trump federalized part of the California’s National Guard under what is known as Title 10 authority, which places him, not the governor, atop the chain of command, according to Newsom’s office.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the work the immigration authorities were doing when met with protests is “essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States.”
Border Patrol personnel in riot gear and gas masks stood guard outside an industrial park in the city of Paramount, deploying tear gas as bystanders and protesters gathered on medians and across the street. Some jeered at officers while recording the events on smartphones.
A boulevard was closed to traffic as Border Patrol agents circulated through a community where more than 80% of residents identify themselves as Latino.
The California Highway Patrol said Newsom had directed the agency to deploy additional officers to “maintain public safety” on state highways and roads and the agency will work to “keep the peace.”
In 2020, Trump asked governors of several states to deploy their National Guard troops to Washington, DC, to quell protests that arose after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers. Many of the governors agreed, sending troops to the federal district.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers executed search warrants at multiple locations Friday, including outside a clothing warehouse in the fashion district.
A tense scene unfolded outside as a crowd tried to block agents from driving away. Advocates for immigrants’ rights said there were also migration detentions outside Home Depot stores and a doughnut shop.
Trump: LA leaders failed, vows to ‘crush rioters’
US President Donald Trump has pledged to “crush rioters” in Los Angeles following days of unrest sparked by federal immigration raids.
However, California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the federal government’s takeover of the California National Guard and the deployment of 2,000 troops to the city, calling it a political stunt designed to provoke violence.
Newsom criticized the move as dangerous and politically motivated, stating that it would only worsen tensions on the ground and erode public trust.
He also criticized recent federal immigration operations, claiming they are being carried out recklessly and that the state is deploying additional CHP to maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace.
The protests began in response to large-scale immigration raids targeting undocumented residents in several Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Civil rights groups and immigrant advocates have condemned the operations as racially charged and unnecessarily aggressive.
Dozens of demonstrators have been arrested, and multiple reports of injuries have emerged after confrontations with federal agents.
Local officials maintain that there is no shortage of law enforcement support in the city and that federal involvement is not only unnecessary but inflammatory. (Agencies)
