In a bold and unprecedented move, California Governor Gavin Newsom could hypothetically order the California National Guard to arrest all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in Los Angeles, escalating the state’s resistance to President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. This scenario, while speculative, follows Trump’s recent deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles on June 7, 2025, to protect federal personnel amid protests over ICE raids targeting immigrant communities in areas like Paramount and Compton. Newsom’s potential countermove would mark a dramatic defiance of federal authority, leveraging his control over the state’s National Guard under Title 32 to challenge what he has called “unlawful” federal overreach.
Such an action would likely invoke California’s sanctuary state policies, particularly Senate Bill 54, which limits state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Newsom could argue that ICE’s operations, which led to 44 detentions on June 6, 2025, and sparked violent clashes, threaten public safety and state sovereignty. By deploying the Guard to detain ICE agents, Newsom would frame the move as protecting Californians from federal aggression, citing reports of tear gas and flash-bangs used against protesters. Legal justification might hinge on claims that ICE’s actions violate state law or constitute a public disturbance, though this would face immediate federal challenges.
The fallout would be seismic. The Justice Department would likely sue, arguing that Newsom’s actions violate the Supremacy Clause, as federal law governs immigration enforcement. Trump could escalate further, potentially invoking the Insurrection Act to federalize the California Guard, as he did in his memorandum, or deploy additional forces, such as the 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton threatened by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Legal experts, like UC Berkeley’s Erwin Chemerinsky, would warn of a constitutional crisis, with the state’s Guard pitted against federal authority. Public reaction, as seen on X, would polarize, with progressive groups like the ACLU cheering Newsom’s defiance and Trump supporters decrying it as treasonous.
Practically, Newsom’s Guard would face logistical hurdles, including identifying and detaining ICE agents without violating federal law. The move could also alienate moderate Californians, risking political backlash in a state already divided over immigration. While bold, this hypothetical scenario would push the U.S. into uncharted legal and political territory, intensifying the standoff between Sacramento and Washington.
