Los Angeles is on edge this week after a wave of LA immigration raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sparked citywide protests, some of which have turned violent. Things escalated quickly, and by Sunday, President Donald Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the city to get things “under control.”
LA Immigration: What Set This Off?
It all started Friday, June 6, 2025, when ICE carried out a coordinated string of raids across various LA neighbourhoods, Westlake, downtown, and South LA among them. These weren’t quiet operations either. Agents showed up at workplaces and homes, reportedly arresting 44 people that day alone. By the end of the weekend, that number had climbed to more than 120. At least one search warrant was tied to charges of harbouring undocumented immigrants.
The backlash was almost immediate. Protesters began gathering in front of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building downtown, where many of the detainees were being held. Crowds blocked entrances, and tensions between demonstrators and federal agents didn’t take long to boil over.
Clashes Break Out
By Saturday, the protests had grown and grown more intense, especially in Paramount, a city known for its tight-knit Latino community. Marchers filled the streets, chanting “No human being is illegal” and lighting fires to block traffic. The scene turned chaotic as federal agents pushed back with pepper balls, tear gas, and flashbangs.
Clips circulating online show heated confrontations in places like a Home Depot parking lot, where protesters hurled objects at agents. It wasn’t long before authorities declared several unlawful assemblies.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna made it clear his deputies were on the ground but not actively helping ICE. Their goal, he said, was to keep things from getting worse and to protect property. Still, some windows were smashed and scuffles broke out, leading to further unrest.
Trump Sends in the Troops
By Sunday evening, the White House had had enough. Citing what it called a “failure of leadership” by California’s Democratic officials, President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops into LA under Title 10 authority. They’ll be there for the next 60 days, tasked with backing up law enforcement and making sure immigration officers can do their jobs without interference.
California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t mince words. He slammed the move as “deliberately provocative,” warning it would only make things worse on the ground. His office criticised the federal government’s decision as a political stunt, not a solution.
Outrage from Rights Groups and Community Leaders
The response from immigrant rights groups and civil liberties advocates has been swift and angry. The ACLU called the raids and the subsequent crackdown “oppressive and vile,” accusing ICE of operating like a paramilitary force.
Even more shocking to many: the arrest of David Huerta, president of the powerful Service Employees International Union, California. His detention added fuel to an already blazing fire of outrage from labour groups and progressive leaders.
City officials and activists are now urging calm and calling for an immediate halt to the raids.
This isn’t just about immigration,” one protester outside City Hall said. It’s about fear—about people being hunted in their own neighbourhoods.
