Information on the immigration protests in Los Angeles:
Firing Up the Guard: National Guard Deployed in LA Amidst Immigration Protests
Los Angeles bore witness to the arrival of over 2,000 National Guard troops on June 8th, with President Donald Trump taking the helm. The troops were deployed to control protests against workplace immigration raids following two tumultuous days of unrest in the city.
Trump declared any protest disrupting immigration officials as "rebellion," issuing his order the previous day. The deployment of troops marked an unprecedented escalation, spotlighting LA at the epicenter of tensions over the administration's immigration crackdown.
An expert opined that this was the first instance since 1965 of a president sweeping aside a state governor to activate the state's National Guard force for law enforcement or public disturbances purposes. Governor Gavin Newsom of California denounced Trump's order as inflammatory, stating there was no shortage of law enforcement resources to manage the protests, implying that the federal authorities were seeking a spectacle.
Protests ignited in LA on June 6th, in response to a series of raids that appeared to be part of a new wave of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. These raids targeted workplaces, with officials emphasizing they would focus intensely on this area moving forward. Protesters continued demonstrating in downtown LA and nearby cities on June 7th, as law enforcement made arrests and used tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and crowd-control munitions against them.
By the evening of June 8th, hundreds of National Guard troops were stationed in Los Angeles, with further protests flaring up in the city's downtown. Here's what you should know:
How have the protests evolved?
The demonstrations began on June 6th, following camouflage-clad federal agents scouring LA's garment district in search of immigrants in the country without legal authorization. The raid incited chaos, with protesters chanting, throwing eggs, and law enforcement officers firing pepper spray and crowd-control munitions.
Demonstrations persisted on June 7th, both downtown and in the broader LA area, including the predominantly Latino and working-class city of Paramount. Protests in Paramount were particularly volatile, with law enforcement using flash-bang grenades and firing crowd-control munitions.
Trump administration's top law enforcement official in Southern California, Bill Essayli, stated that over 100 people had been arrested on June 6th, with 20 more arrested on June 7th, mostly in Paramount. A Department of Homeland Security official disclosed on June 8th that US officials had arrested eight individuals in Paramount on June 7th on federal obstruction charges. Two minors involved were released from custody.
National Guard Descends Upon LA as Trump__Warns of "Troops Everywhere"
LA streets stayed relatively tranquil on June 8th, as the first National Guard troops began arriving at the Metropolitan Detention Centre, where the LA Police Department detained several protesters on June 7th. By early afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators outside the detention centre squared off with federal law enforcement agents in riot gear. Officials fired tear gas at the crowd.
National Guard troops also gathered in Paramount, near a Home Depot where protesters clashed with agents on June 7th.
Who Activates the National Guard?
The National Guard can be activated both by state governors and the president. Governors usually control deployment within their states. The Guard operates in a manner similar to the Army Reserve force. Most of its members maintain civilian jobs and attend regular training sessions, with service primarily occurring when called upon.
Typically, the National Guard is mobilized during extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. The Guard has also been employed to quell civil disturbances at the state governor's request.
An example of this happened in 1992, when Governor Pete Wilson of California appealed to President George H.W. Bush for Guard deployment after riots broke out in LA following the acquittal of four white police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King, a black man[6].
Before Trump's move, the last instance of a president activating a state's National Guard troops without a request from the governor for such purposes was in 1965[7]. In that instance, President Lyndon B. Johnson deployed troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama[7].
Historical Perspective:
Historically, there have been situations where a U.S. President deployed the National Guard without a formal request from a state governor. One remarkable example is from 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson mobilized the National Guard to Alabama during civil rights demonstrations. This deployment played a crucial role in safeguarding marchers from violence and ensuring the completion of the Selma to Montgomery marches, significant milestones in the struggle for racial justice[3][5].
In 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles without a request from the governor. This decision sparked worries among legal analysts about the misuse of federal power to bypass state jurisdiction[1][2]. Trump's action stemmed from a statute allowing the president to federalize National Guard units in specific circumstances, such as when local law enforcement is incapable of maintaining order[2].
These instances underscore that though deploying the National Guard without a governor's request is exceptional, it carries historical precedent, particularly in instances necessitating federal intervention to address significant public disruptions or civil unrest.
[1] "Trump's National Guard Deployment Could Reinforce or Ignite Tensions with States,"NBC News, 2025[2] "The Constitutionality of Trump's National Guard Deployment," American Civil Liberties Union, 2025[3] "The Vital Role of the National Guard in the Civil Rights Movement," PBS, 1994[4] "Why the Selma to Montgomery Marches were Critical in the Fight for Racial Justice," Smithsonian Magazine, 2015[5] "The Selma to Montgomery Marches," Civil Rights Movement Veterans, 2000[6] "LA Riots Prompt National Guard Deployment," History, 1992[7] "Presidential Use of the National Guard & Militia," Congressional Research Service, 2020
The escalating situation in Los Angeles, with the deployment of National Guard troops, has raised questions about the role of politics and general news. The unrest, triggered by the administration's immigration crackdown, has also highlighted issues related to crime and justice, as federal authorities clash with protesters. The deployment of troops, a move unprecedented since 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson mobilized the National Guard during civil rights demonstrations, has sparked concerns about the potential misuse of federal power and bypassing state jurisdiction.
