On June 8, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that President Donald Trump has moved to federalize the California National Guard, deploying 2,000 troops to Los Angeles to address escalating protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Newsom denounced the action as “purposefully inflammatory,” arguing it aims to create a spectacle rather than address a genuine law enforcement need. He emphasized that local authorities, including the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, are fully capable of managing the situation, with no unmet need for additional forces. In a statement on X, Newsom urged protesters to remain peaceful, stating, “Don’t give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”
The federalization, authorized under Title 10 U.S.C. § 12406, marks a rare bypassing of state authority, the first since 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama. Trump’s memorandum cites the need to protect ICE agents amid “violent mobs” attacking federal officers during deportation operations, which have resulted in over 150 arrests in Los Angeles since June 6. The White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, accused California’s Democratic leaders of failing to protect citizens, justifying the deployment as a response to “lawlessness.”
Protests erupted after ICE raids targeted workplaces like garment factories and Home Depot parking lots, with clashes involving tear gas, flash-bangs, and rubber bullets. Demonstrators, some waving Mexican flags, have faced off against federal agents in riot gear, with incidents reported in Paramount and Compton. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids as sowing “terror” in communities, while Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reiterated their non-cooperation with ICE, citing California’s sanctuary state policies.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth escalated concerns by threatening to deploy active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton if violence persists, a move Newsom called “deranged.” Legal experts, including Elizabeth Goitein from the Brennan Center for Justice, warn that such a deployment could violate the Posse Comitatus Act unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, which he has not yet done. The ACLU labeled the federalization an “inflammatory abuse of power,” raising fears of undermining democratic principles by using the military to suppress civilian protests.
As Los Angeles braces for a 60-day National Guard presence, with troops expected to arrive within 24 hours, tensions between state and federal authorities remain high. Protests are set to continue, with a major demonstration planned at City Hall, signaling ongoing resistance to Trump’s immigration crackdown.
