U.S President Donald Trump deploys troops
National Guard troops were deployed to Los Angeles on Sunday by U.S president , Donald Trump amidst ongoing protests against immigration raids, despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s strong objections.
Newsom formally requested the Trump administration to rescind the order, citing a “serious breach of state sovereignty” and urging protesters to remain peaceful.
“We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty – inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom wrote in a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Rescind the order. Return control to California.”
*Trump’s Response*
Trump signed a memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen “to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” the White House said.
This move marks the first time in 60 years that a president has deployed a state’s National Guard without the governor’s consent, according to The New York Times.
*Protests and Arrests*
Protests began on Friday after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers executed search warrants across the city.
Los Angeles Police reported that protesters blocked traffic on a freeway and gathered outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre, where soldiers formed a perimeter.
“Officers are reporting that people in the crowd are throwing concrete, bottles and other objects. Arrests are being initiated,” police wrote on X.
*Mayor’s Concerns*
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged protesters to remain peaceful, saying, “Deploying federalised troops on the heels of these raids is a chaotic escalation.
The fear people are feeling in our city right now is very real – it’s felt in our communities and within our families and it puts our neighborhoods at risk.”
*Trump’s Stance*
Trump claimed Los Angeles had been “invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals,” and directed his officials “to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots.”
He added, “Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free” ¹ ².
The Trump administration has threatened to deploy regular armed forces domestically, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stating that U.S. Marines stationed in California could be mobilized if necessary. Newsom condemned this threat, calling it “deranged behavior”.
