President Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to ongoing protests against federal immigration enforcement operations. The move has been met with strong opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called it “purposefully inflammatory” and warned it would escalate tensions.
The protests erupted after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids across Los Angeles, leading to the detention of over 100 individuals. Demonstrators clashed with federal agents, with tear gas deployed and some protesters arrested. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned that interference with immigration enforcement would not be tolerated.
Trump defended the deployment, stating that if local officials could not handle the situation, the federal government would step in to “solve the problem”. The situation remains tense, with protests continuing and concerns growing over the impact of the National Guard’s presence.