Key insights on the anti-immigration policy protests in Los Angeles:
LA's Immigrant Upheaval: A Tale of Raids, Protests, and National Guard
The streets of Los Angeles echoed with rage and resistance for two days straight as federal immigration raids stirred up a fury across the city, inciting a standoff between the White House and California authorities over the situation's control.
The Cause and the Chaos
Beginning on the 6th of June, 2025, a string of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations infiltrated various businesses, suspected of employing undocumented immigrants and falsifying employment records. Businesses targeted included a Home Depot in Westlake and the clothing manufacturer Ambiance Apparel in downtown Los Angeles[4][5]. The news spread like wildfire on social media, fueling public outrage and prompting the mobilization of protesters.
Battle in the Streets
On the 7th and 8th of June, furious crowds stormed the city streets, rallying against the ICE raids and escalating tensions in a confrontation with law enforcement. In Paramount and Compton, riot police clad in shields and armor used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds. Footage from the day illustrated damaged gas stations and vehicles set alight as protesters launched fireworks[1][2]. ICE accused the protesters of destroying taxpayer-funded property[2].
Governor Democrat Gavin Newsom claimed that local authorities had the situation under control[3]. Meanwhile, California's Democratic leaders vigorously condemned the deployment of the California National Guard as both an unnecessary move and a contributor to the escalating tension.
Protests Go Beyond LA
The clashes between protesters and law enforcement led to looting and vandalism, culminating in an overnight curfew imposed in downtown LA[1][2]. Protesters blocked lanes on the 101 Freeway, clashed with federal agents outside key locations such as the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, and the Metropolitan Detention Center[5].
Solidarity protests emerged in other cities in response to the federal actions. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass vehemently criticized the ICE raids, arguing they sowed terror in communities and compromised safety principles.
The National Guard Deployment
President Trump ordered 2,000 members of the California National Guard to intervene in the protests in Los Angeles on the 7th of June, despite objections from state and city leaders. The National Guard arrived on the 8th of June[3]. As the violence continued, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the activation of active-duty Marines if necessary[3].
Governor Newsom branded Hegseth's threat to deploy Marines on American soil against its citizens as "deranged behavior." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem asserted that the troops of the National Guard were there to "maintain peace and allow people to protest, but also to "maintain public order"[3].
In short, the immigration raids and subsequent protests in Los Angeles highlighted deep divisions between federal immigration policies and local support for immigrant communities. The tense standoff between federal authorities and local protesters continues, raising questions about the future of immigration policy and the police response in the United States.
A general-news report revealed that the news of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on 6th June, 2025, for suspected employment of undocumented immigrants, had caused a significant stir in the world of politics, with the situation leading to protests and violent clashes in the streets of Los Angeles. The chaos, fueled by the politics surrounding the immigrant upheaval, led to a confrontation between protesters and law enforcement, with the California National Guard being deployed to maintain peace and public order.
