Troops at City's Doorstep: The Los Angeles National Guard's Arrival Sparks Controversy
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Guardsmen from Trump's National Guard Arrive in Los Angeles - Military personnel deployed by Trump head to Los Angeles
The sight of soldiers in camouflage uniforms, helmets, and armed to the teeth was a unusual spectacle outside a federal building complex in the heart of LA. The building, home to a detention center among other facilities, bore the wordy tag "Our City" on its exterior, courtesy of some mystery artist.
Tensions are expected to bubble over again on Sunday evening (23:00 UTC), as a call for a "mass mobilization" echoes through the city, urging protesters to gather outside city hall.
Commanded by Trump, around 2000 National Guard troops were dispatched, as per his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. Allegedly, the Washington government is tackling the "lawlessness" that's been allowed to simmer and spread.
But California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democratic leader, has poured cold water on the intervention, accusing Trump of dispatching the troops to create a crisis. "He's itching for chaos, so he can justify more raids, more fear, more control," Newsom stated on X, imploring city residents to "stay chill, avoid violence, keep the peace."
Over the weekend, Federal agents and angry protesters clashed after raids on migrants, leaving some protesters in handcuffs, nursing stings from stun grenades, and coughing up tear gas.
On Sunday morning, skirmishes erupted between protesters and security forces in the Compton neighborhood, according to AFP reporters, who cited the air being filled with the acrid reek of pepper spray.
By ordering the National Guard, Trump bypasses local authorities. Historically, the National Guard, acting as a reserve army, is mobilized for natural disasters and the occasional melee - like the unrest that rippled through the city following George Floyd's death in police custody in 2020.
United States activist Kenneth Roth, the former head of human rights organization Human Rights Watch, stated on X that this is the first time since 1965 that a President has deployed the National Guard without the governor of the affected state requesting it. Roth has branded Trump's move as a "show of force to sustain his crusade against immigrants."
- Donald Trump
- Los Angeles
- Sunday
- US President
- Deployment
- Migrants
- Gavin Newsom
- Military
- Washington
- Karoline Leavitt
- California
It's worth noting that the controversial deployment of troops has sparked legal action. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed an emergency motion to halt the deployment, contending it's an "unnecessary" and "unlawful militarization" of the city[1][2]. According to them, there's no legitimate basis for such a deployment under federal law, as there's no invasion or rebellion in Los Angeles, and local authorities are handling the situation just fine[1][2].
Governor Newsom emphasizes that deploying the military for civilian law enforcement tasks is a breach of democratic principles and resembles the actions of a "tyrant," per Newsom, rather than a president[2]. The deployment has elevated tensions between the Trump administration and California, with Newsom and Bonta seeking a court intervention to halt the expanded mission of the National Guard and Marines beyond protecting federal property[3][4].
- On Sunday, US President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of approximately 2000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, a move that has been met with controversy.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democratic leader, has lodged an emergency motion seeking to halt the deployment, arguing that it represents an "unnecessary" and "unlawful militarization" of the city, a breach of democratic principles, and an attempt to create chaos and justify more control over immigrants.
