The Trump administration announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles County in response to escalating protests against immigration raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The decision follows two days of intense clashes between federal immigration agents and hundreds of demonstrators in Paramount, California, a predominantly Latino community located about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

The unrest began on Friday, June 6, 2025, after ICE conducted a series of immigration raids across Los Angeles, detaining at least 44 individuals suspected of immigration violations.

The operations targeted various locations, including Home Depot stores, a clothing warehouse, and a doughnut shop, according to immigrant rights advocates.

These raids sparked immediate backlash, with protests erupting outside the Los Angeles Federal Building and spreading to Paramount by Saturday.

Demonstrators, chanting slogans like “Fuera ICE” (ICE, get out) and “Set them free, let them stay,” expressed outrage over what they described as aggressive and indiscriminate enforcement tactics.

Clashes intensified as protesters confronted federal agents, including Border Patrol, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service personnel, who were deployed to support ICE.

Law enforcement used tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while some protesters reportedly threw rocks, set fires, and vandalized property, including a U.S. Marshals bus.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department declared the demonstrations an unlawful assembly, further escalating tensions by blocking exits and deploying riot gear.

Thomas D. Homan, President Trump’s border czar, announced the National Guard deployment during a Fox News interview on Saturday evening, stating, “We’re already mobilizing.

We’re going to bring the National Guard in tonight. We’re going to continue doing our job.” California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed the federal government’s request to deploy 2,000 California National Guard soldiers, noting that the Trump administration was “moving to take over” the state’s Guard.

However, Newsom criticized the move as “purposefully inflammatory,” arguing that local law enforcement was capable of managing the situation.

The deployment marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy, which has prioritized mass deportations since taking office.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who accused ICE of using tactics designed to “sow terror” in communities. In response, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and other federal officials accused Bass of siding with “chaos and lawlessness” over law enforcement.