Updated June 8, 2025 at 2:06 PM EDT
Members of the California National Guard arrived in the Los Angeles area Sunday morning, after President Trump activated the troops to curb protests against federal immigration raids that occured in and around the city in recent days.
Some of the demonstrations, which came in response to a spate of immigration sweeps in Los Angeles late last week, escalated into between demonstrators and law enforcement officers.
In response, the White House said Trump would 2,000 National Guard members to California. In a post on social media, Trump attacked "Radical Left protests" by "instigators and often paid troublemakers."
Diana Crofts-Pelayo, deputy director of communications for Gov. Gavin Newsom, told NPR by email Sunday morning that around 300 California National Guard troops had arrived in Los Angeles.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton are on high alert and would also be mobilized "if violence continues."
But Newsom said there was no widespread violence and that the Trump administration is "sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate. That is not the way any civilized country behaves."
Last week, actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents across the country, including Minneapolis and Chicago. Trump has in his second term after running on a promise to conduct mass deportations.
ICE operations targeted multiple locations across the Los Angeles area, and in some cases demonstrators tried to block the transport of detained immigrants. Authorities used flash bangs, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse crowds. One occurred at a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, just outside Los Angeles.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons that "rioters attacked federal ICE and law enforcement officers on the LA streets" and that crowds also "surrounded and attacked a federal building."
An unknown number of people were arrested in the clashes. One of them was SEIU California president David Huerta. The he was injured during his arrest and later released from custody. Huerta interfering with federal officers and will be arraigned on Monday in federal court.
ICE said that it had arrested 118 immigrants during operations in Los Angeles last week.
Newsom on Saturday that law enforcement assistance was available to Los Angeles authorities who requested it and that there was currently "no unmet need." He accused the federal government of "moving to take over the California National Guard."
Trump early Sunday morning that the National Guard was doing a "great job." The National Guard by governors for local or statewide emergencies, and U.S. presidents can also call up the National Guard for federal missions, putting the force in the military chain of command.
In separate statements, the heads of the and the said their agencies do not participate in federal immigration enforcement actions but that they are working to maintain public safety.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass that she was "angered" by immigration enforcement actions that "sow terror" in the community. "We will not stand for this," she said.
Following some of the unrest on Saturday, Bass that "everyone has the right to peacefully protest, but let me be clear: violence and destruction are unacceptable, and those responsible will be held accountable."
Copyright 2025 NPR
