New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has authorised the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid intensifying protests over immigration raids. This brings the total number of troops in the city to over 4,000. The move has drawn backlash from officials in California who termed it a breach of state sovereignty. The state has also filed a lawsuit against the administration.
Monday marked the fourth consecutive day of unrest in Los Angeles, as demonstrators rallied against what they describe as aggressive and unjust immigration enforcement. The protests were sparked by a wave of raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in southern California.
Protesters torch several vehicles
The situation escalated further over the weekend, with violent clashes erupting in downtown LA. Protesters torched several vehicles, hurled projectiles at police, and chanted slogans outside a federal detention centre. Officers responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and flash-bang grenades, leading to dozens of arrests and several minor injuries among law enforcement.
In a statement posted on X, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the mobilisation of 2,000 more National Guard members “to support ICE and protect federal personnel and property”. The deployment, ordered by President Trump, comes just hours after nearly 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines were dispatched to assist in crowd control and security operations.
Governor Gavin Newsom condemns deployment
Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment, labelling it a “deranged” decision by a “dictatorial” president. “U.S. Marines have served honourably in defence of democracy,” Newsom wrote. “They shouldn’t be deployed on American soil to face their own countrymen.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the federalisation of the state’s National Guard. “Commandeering state forces without the consent of the governor is both unconstitutional and immoral,” Bonta said during a press conference in Sacramento.
Despite the unrest, Los Angeles Police chief Jim McDonnell assured residents that local authorities could manage the situation. “This is not citywide civil unrest. We are dealing with isolated hotspots,” he said. Mayor Karen Bass echoed the sentiment, noting that most protesters have remained peaceful and that schools and essential services were operating as usual.
