The Trump administration just issued orders to send the National Guard in Los Angeles. This decision is particularly notable because it signals a response to sustained protests against the operations of ICE. Federal agents served search warrants at three locations, including a sprawling warehouse located in the city’s fashion district. This operation deepened the turmoil after a local judge found probable cause that an employer had been using fake documents for at least some of their employees.
On Friday, Stephen Miller, a senior advisor to President Trump, described the demonstrations as “an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States.” He condemned the demonstrations as an attack on national law. This announcement doubled down on the administration’s resolve to execute mass deportations across the country.
Things came to a head this past Saturday, when protests erupted in violence. For the record, Stephen Miller’s term that day an “violent insurrection.” California Governor Gavin Newsom strongly condemned the order to deploy the National Guard. He denounced it as “purposefully inflammatory” and cautioned that it would further inflame tensions in an atmosphere that was already made combustible.
These protests were all a direct response to ICE’s recent raids, which led to the arrest of over 40 people. David Huerta, president of the California branch of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), was one of those arrested. Police responded not only with tear gas but with flash-bang devices throughout the duration of the incident. Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California, slammed the raids as “cruel, destructive and indiscriminate.”
In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass expressed her outrage at the federal actions, stating, “I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this.” In addition, she condemned the feds for trying to “sow terror” within the nation’s second-largest metropolis.
The Trump administration’s heavy-handed tactics have earned the administration widespread condemnation from community leaders on the frontlines. When he still served as mayor of San Francisco, Newsom called the sweeps “as reckless as they are cruel.” He concluded that these practices undermine trust in communities and divide families. Worse still, they disrupt critical industries that are necessary to support California’s booming economy.
Supporters of the administration’s actions claim they are needed to restore law and order. Kristi Noem, a prominent supporter of Trump’s policies, sent a message to protesters: “A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. @Icegov will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
This rigid dichotomy of attitudes serves to intensify the contention around immigration policy within the United States. Cong. Jimmy Gomez, whose district includes Los Angeles, called the federal response “intimidation, plain and simple.” He condemned Trump and his cronies for seeking to intimidate and divide the city’s immigrant community. He encouraged communities to stay aware and educated as things get chaotic, pandemonious, as Prof.
As demonstrations have persisted, law enforcement has responded with an ever-raising level of force against demonstrators. For years, activists have used creative strategies to empower everyday people to defend their rights during these often-violent encounters. One protestor advised:
“You have the right to remain silent. Film everything. Don’t sign anything without a lawyer. Don’t open the door without a signed warrant.” – Gomez
The language used to describe these protests has received a lot of deserved focus as well. Violent rhetoric Critics have previously criticized sanctuary city politicians of using violent, inflammatory language that incites violence. Tricia McLaughlin stated unequivocally: “From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale.”
With Los Angeles preparing for more protests and potential federal interventions, the outcome of these protests is far from decided. The deployment of these National Guard troops foreshadows a dangerous new trend—the militarization of anti-immigration enforcement through aggressive military means. All of this is happening amid a time of great political polarization.