Federal crackdown on immigration triggers unrest in Democratic-led LA as officials clash over deployment of troops and mass arrests
LOS ANGELES, June 8 – Tensions erupted for a second day in southeast Los Angeles as federal agents and protesters clashed following a wave of immigration enforcement operations. The Trump administration announced it would deploy 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday evening, citing civil unrest and resistance to the raids.
Demonstrators took to the streets of the Paramount area, many waving Mexican flags or wearing respiratory masks, in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and federal presence in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods.
Trump’s controversial immigration crackdown, which aims to deport record numbers of undocumented individuals, has stirred nationwide debate—and in California, ignited direct confrontation.
“If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs… then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem,” former President Trump posted on Truth Social, condemning what he called “RIOTS & LOOTERS.”
Governor Gavin Newsom called the troop deployment “purposefully inflammatory,” accusing the Trump administration of escalating a volatile situation in a city already grappling with tension over immigration enforcement.
According to witnesses, the protests grew more intense Saturday afternoon as authorities began detaining demonstrators. While official arrest numbers were not released, video footage showed gas canisters deployed and federal agents in gas masks lined across streets filled with overturned shopping carts and makeshift barricades.
“Now they know they cannot go anywhere in this country where our people are and try to kidnap our workers without organized and fierce resistance,” said Ron Gochez, 44, a protester on the ground in Paramount.
The unrest began Friday night after ICE agents arrested at least 44 people for alleged immigration violations in Los Angeles. The agency, under directives from the White House, has set a goal of detaining 3,000 individuals per day, intensifying operations in urban areas.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that “1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE officers,” alleging damage to public property and slashed vehicle tires. Reuters could not independently verify this account.
Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s top immigration advisers, called the protests “an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States,” escalating the language around the demonstrations.
But rights groups and city officials pushed back hard. Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), confirmed reports of street vendors and day laborers being detained near Home Depot stores, a garment factory, and a warehouse. She said legal teams had been denied access to those arrested, raising constitutional concerns.
“These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, condemning the raids and vowing that the city will not support actions that “intimidate or violate the rights of residents.”
Television footage showed military-style vehicles and vans filled with armed agents patrolling the city. Unconfirmed reports suggest the federal teams used parking lots near a Home Depot in Paramount as staging grounds for the sweep.
While some residents expressed fear and frustration, others stood in solidarity, blocking streets and chanting slogans against ICE and federal intervention.
As LA braces for further demonstrations, civil rights advocates are calling for independent investigations into the legality and execution of the raids. With a presidential election on the horizon, the escalation in Los Angeles may prove a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration and civil liberties.