In a move that has escalated tensions and sparked fierce debate, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 California National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area 🚔. This deployment follows a weekend of intense protests against immigration raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where demonstrators clashed with law enforcement, and tear gas filled the air.

The protests erupted after ICE agents carried out sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles, arresting more than 40 people on alleged immigration violations. As demonstrators gathered in Paramount, California, to denounce the arrests, riot police and federal agents responded with tear gas and a heavy presence.

One protester shouted through a megaphone. Signs reading “No Human Being is Illegal” were held aloft, and protesters faced off against officers in riot gear. Some demonstrators kicked at a Border Patrol vehicle, while others recorded the scene on their smartphones 📱.

Amid burning shrubbery and trash fires, the protests turned increasingly tense. Border Patrol agents, clad in gas masks, formed lines outside industrial parks as bystanders jeered and filmed.

President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard came despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections. Trump federalized part of the state’s National Guard under Title 10 authority, effectively placing the troops under his control — not the governor’s.

“The White House is addressing the ‘lawlessness’ that has been allowed to fester,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt, adding that the protests were undermining efforts to “reverse the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States.”

Gov. Newsom, however, called the move “purposefully inflammatory” and warned it would only serve to “erode public trust.” In a statement on social media, he emphasized that local authorities “are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice” and that “there is currently no unmet need.”

The deployment of the National Guard is not the only federal muscle being flexed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on social media that if violence continued, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton could also be mobilized, stating they were already on “high alert.”

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also weighed in, warning protesters in Los Angeles that “interference with immigration enforcement will not be tolerated.”

The protests have drawn widespread support from immigrant rights advocates, who argue that the ICE raids are not only heavy-handed but also target vulnerable communities. On Friday night, after the raids, protesters rallied outside a federal detention center in Los Angeles, chanting “Set them free, let them stay!”

Some protesters scrawled graffiti on the walls, while others held signs condemning ICE’s presence. Among those arrested during these protests was David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union. He was being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, awaiting a Monday court appearance.

The weekend’s events have reignited political debate. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded Huerta’s immediate release, calling it part of a “disturbing pattern” of arresting American citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused federal agents of seeking to “sow terror” in the city. In response, ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons doubled down, stating, “ICE will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens.”

These protests and the subsequent deployment of the National Guard come as President Trump intensifies efforts to deliver on his promise of mass deportations. Homeland Security said recent ICE operations in the L.A. area resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants.

The friction between federal and state authorities underscores the deep divides in the nation’s immigration debate. While federal officials argue that these crackdowns are about enforcing the law, local leaders like Newsom and Bass see them as a political stunt designed to intimidate immigrant communities.

As the protests continue to simmer, the deployment of troops in one of America’s largest cities has sparked concerns about the militarization of immigration enforcement and the potential erosion of civil liberties. One thing is clear: this latest showdown in Los Angeles is yet another chapter in the ongoing battle over immigration policy in the United States📰.