Almost 5,000 military personnel, including 2,000 additional National Guard members and 700 Marines, have been deployed to Los Angeles to respond to ongoing riots against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. The deployment comes as far-left rioters entered their fifth day, marked by violent clashes, including throwing rocks, setting cars on fire, and looting stores.
President Trump on Monday, authorized the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to the Los Angeles area, bringing the total to 4,000. 700 Marines were also sent to support the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in maintaining order.
The President told reporters Tuesday, that he believes that the riots are organized, and that "someone is paying" the rioters.
Clashes between protesters and law enforcement have been intense, with rioters using rocks, chunks of concrete, and commercial-grade fireworks against officers. Cars were set on fire, and looting was reported, particularly in the Compton and Paramount areas.
Police used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to disperse the crowds, resulting in numerous arrests.
In Santa Ana, a peaceful protest turned violent, with rocks and fireworks thrown at law enforcement officers.
Disgraced far-left California Governor Gavin Newsom sued the Trump administration over the deployment, claiming it was illegal and exacerbated tensions. However critics online called out the governor for not doing enough to quell the unrest in his Democrat-run state.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the president's actions, criticizing Newsom for failing to control the unrest.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier threatened to deploy active-duty Marines if violence continued, emphasizing the need to protect ICE agents.
The anti-ICE riots have spread to other major U.S. cities, including New York City.
The National Guard deployment is expected to last 60 days, with the aim of ensuring that "rioters, looters, and thugs" know that the military is not leaving anytime soon.
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U.S. President Trump mobilized the National Guard after rioters attacked Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) agents arresting illegal aliens in Los Angeles, leading to escalating riots characterized by rock throwing at officers and setting off fires.
The riots began on Friday following immigration raids by ICE agents. The operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of 118 illegal aliens, including five gang members and individuals with prior criminal histories.
Over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building in Los Angeles and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and damaged taxpayer-funded property. The Los Angeles Police Department(LAPD) took over two hours to respond to the situation.
Tensions escalated further on Saturday with confrontations between rioters and law enforcement, involving the use of flash-bangs and irritants by police, and incidents of vandalism and arson by protesters.
Rioters set fires and damaged property in various locations, including downtown Los Angeles and the cities of Paramount and Compton.
Some rioters chanting "Fuera ICE" ("ICE, get out") and waving Mexican flags, threw rocks at law enforcement, and several cars were set on fire, while others were vandalized. Additionally, a large bag of trash was lit on fire near immigration agents in the Paramount section of the city, which is approximately 82 percent Latino.
The violence continued Sunday.
In response to these events, President Trump activated the National Guard under Title 10 authority, placing the troops under federal command rather than invoking the Insurrection Act. Approximately 2,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Los Angeles to address the unrest.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that if the protests continued, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton would also be mobilized, stating that violence against federal law enforcement would not be tolerated. Around 300 National Guard troops stationed outside a federal complex.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, criticized rioters for assaulting federal officers and disrupting immigration operations.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security criticized Democrat politicians for contributing to the surge in assaults on ICE officers through their rhetoric.
The Mexican flag-waving rioters have been condemned by many online who call the violence against authorities, an invasion. "If you love Mexico that much, wtf are you not self-deporting to Mexico," one X user wrote.
Disgraced left-wing California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass who condemned the ICE raids as sowing terror and disrupting community safety, are facing widespread criticisms for ordering the LAPD to stand down while rioters destroy properties, cars, and attack federal agents.
The LAPD denied allegations that it delayed its response to the protests, citing the use of chemical irritants by federal authorities as a reason for the delay.
Far-left union leader David Huerta the president of SEIU California, was arrested during the riots for allegedly impeding a federal agent while protesting.
"A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve," Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social. "I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots. Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
