US President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles. The decision has been taken to deal with unrest caused by a crackdown on illegal immigrants. The incident has caused widespread tension across California.
Los Angeles saw unrest for the second day on Saturday. Residents clashed with federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a Latino-dominated area of the Paramount district. Tear gas and batons were used to disperse the crowd. A total of 118 people have been arrested in Los Angeles in ICE raids this week, including 44 arrests on Friday.
Border Czar Tom Homan told Fox News, “We are making Los Angeles safer.” He added that more resources are being brought in and the National Guard will be brought in tonight. We will continue to do our job. He warned of a zero-tolerance policy for violence or damage to private property.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino warned protesters in a post on X, saying, “If you bring chaos, we will bring handcuffs. Law and order will prevail.” He noted multiple arrests for disrupting the operation.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also wrote on X that his department had immediately deployed the National Guard to assist federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. He added that if violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized; they are on high alert.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the operation as “brutal.” He spoke with Trump for about 40 minutes on Saturday, his spokesman told CBS News. Details of their conversation were not immediately available.
Governor Newsom said the federal government’s move to deploy 2,000 troops from the California National Guard is intentionally provocative, and will only increase tensions. He added that Los Angeles authorities are able to get law enforcement support at a moment’s notice.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused ICE of spreading terror. In response, the heads of the FBI and Homeland Security said the mayor’s comments put federal agents in danger.
Paramount has largely calmed down, but clashes between protesters and law enforcement are still ongoing. The air is heavy with tear gas and smoke. Local police are constantly firing flash bangs and tear gas to try to disperse the protesters. Neighbors and protesters say immigrants are trapped and afraid to leave. More than 80 percent of Paramount’s population is Hispanic.
Source: BBC