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National Guard Deployed in Los Angeles Amidst Immigration protests
Los Angeles – in An Escalation Of The Ongoing Debate Over Immigration Policies, President donald Trump Has Deployed 2,000 California National Guard Troops To The streets Of Los Angeles.This Remarkable measure Follows Days of Intense Protests Sparked By Federal Immigration enforcement Actions Across The City.
The Deployment, Which Began Saturday Night, Has Further Inflamed Tensions In A City Already Grappling With Deep Divisions Over Immigration.
Police and protesters face off on the streets of LA.
Photo: Etienne Laurent
Protests Continue For Third Day
For Three Consecutive Days, Protests Have Engulfed Los Angeles, Triggered By Recent Immigration And Customs Enforcement (Ice) arrests. These “Ice Protests,” As They’ve Been Dubbed On social Media, Began Friday in Response To Dozens Of Arrests Made By Ice Agents Targeting Alleged Immigration Violations.
On Sunday, An Additional 300 National Guard Troops Were Dispatched To Guard A Federal Detention Center In Downtown Los Angeles, Where The Detainees Are Being Held.
Members of the National Guard stand guard outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, MDC in downtown Los Angeles, California on June 8, 2025.
Photo: AFP / Frederic J Brown
Understanding Ice’s Role
Ice, Or Immigration And Customs Enforcement, Operates As A Law Enforcement Agency Under The Department Of Homeland security. Its Primary Mission Involves Enforcing The Nation’s Immigration Laws.
A demonstrator rides a bicycle past burning Waymo vehicles as protesters clash with law enforcement.
Photo: Etienne Laurent
why The Arrests are Sparking Outrage
While Ice Arrests Of Individuals Suspected Of Being In The U.S. Illegally Are Not New, The Timing And Context Of This Recent Operation Have Fueled Public Discontent.
These Arrests Are Viewed As Part Of The Trump Management’s highly Controversial Immigration Crackdown. The President Has Publicly Stated His intent To Deport Record Numbers Of Undocumented Immigrants During His Second Term, setting An Ambitious Goal For ice To Arrest At least 3,000 Migrants Daily.
critics Argue That This Pressure Has Led To Instances Of legal Residents Being Unjustifiably Swept Up In Ice Raids.
Adding To The Controversy,Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Condemned the Public Nature Of The Arrest Raids,Stating They “Sow Terror” within The Community. The Raids Took Place At Locations Such As Hardware Stores, Garment Factories, And Warehouses, Where Street Vendors And Day Laborers Were Among Those Detained.
“I Am Deeply Angered By What Has Taken Place,” Bass Asserted In A Public Statement. “These Tactics Sow Terror In Our Communities And Disrupt Basic Principles Of Safety In Our City. We Will not Stand For This.”
Protestors holding signs reading “ICE ot of LA!” march in front of the AC Hotel Pasadena.
Photo: ROBYN BECK
Trump’s Rationale For Immigration Crackdown
A Central tenet Of President Trump’s Political Platform Has Been securing The Border.
Throughout His Campaigns, He Has Asserted That Undocumented Immigrants Are Responsible For A Surge In Crime And Has Characterized Those Crossing Into The U.S. Illegally As “Animals” Who Are “poisoning The Blood” Of The Nation. However, Publicly Available Data To Substantiate These Claims Remains Limited.
Data From Texas, The Only State That Tracks Crimes By Immigration Status, Indicates Substantially Lower Felony Arrest Rates Among Undocumented Individuals Compared To Legal Immigrants Or U.S. citizens.
Beyond The Perceived crime Wave, Proponents Of Immigration Restrictions Point To Concerns About The Cost Of Living And Housing Crises In The U.S., Arguing That A Large Influx Of Undocumented Immigrants Exacerbates These Issues By Competing For Scarce Resources.
Brenda Lee, A Resident of Brooklyn, New York, Voiced Support For Trump’s Hardline Immigration Policies In An Interview last Year, Stating, “There’s People That Are Having A Hard Time, You Know, Making Ends Meet. The Rents Are So High, We Have A Housing Crisis, We Have So Many Issues, So It’s Like, We Come First Because We Pay taxes.”
Law enforcement clashes with demonstrators outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, MDC, in downtown los Angeles.
photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN
Los Angeles As A Target
According To Recent Analysis, Since President Trump’s Return To Office This Year, Ice Agents Have Concentrated Thier Activities Primarily In California, New york, And Illinois. These States Are Categorized As “Blue” states Due To Their Consistent Support For The Democratic Party In Presidential Elections.
California hosts The Largest Immigrant Population in The United States, With Approximately 10.6 Million Residents Born Overseas,Representing 22% Of The Nation’s Total Foreign-Born population.
Data From The Pew Research center indicates That In 2022, Approximately 1.8 Million Immigrants In California, Or About 17% Of The Total, Were Undocumented.
In A Recent Post On Truth Social, President Trump Stated That los Angeles Had Been “Invaded” By “Illegal Aliens And Criminals”.
Protestors are seen among smoke as confrontation with national Guard soldiers and US department of Homeland Security (DHS)
