LA Anti-Immigration Protest Escalates

Los Angeles
ICE Raids in Los Angeles Spark Protests

On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents carried out a series of targeted raids across neighborhoods in Los Angeles, arresting at least 44 individuals suspected of immigration violations. These operations, which took place in areas such as Boyle Heights and Paramount, included both undocumented migrants and some green card holders flagged for prior offenses. According to ICE, the raids were part of a broader federal initiative aimed at enforcing long-standing deportation orders, but local officials and immigrant rights groups described them as aggressive and traumatising.

The raids prompted immediate and widespread protests. Demonstrators took to the streets within hours, chanting slogans and confronting both ICE officers and local law enforcement. Several protests escalated into tense standoffs, with police using pepper balls and tear gas to disperse crowds. Videos circulated online showing families pleading with officers as loved ones were taken away. Critics argue that the operation targeted communities already under economic and psychological stress, calling the timing and scale politically motivated.

Travel Ban
Trump Administration Announces Expanded Travel Ban

On June 6, the Trump administration announced an expanded travel ban set to take effect on June 9, 2025. The updated ban targets 12 countries, most of them in Africa and the Middle East, bringing the total number of countries affected by travel restrictions to 19. Administration officials cited "national security concerns and insufficient cooperation on immigration enforcement" as reasons for the expansion. The policy drew swift criticism from human rights organizations and foreign governments, some of whom accused the U.S. of racial and religious discrimination.

Legal challenges were quickly filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups, arguing that the ban violates constitutional protections and international human rights standards. Immigrant communities in the U.S. also expressed fear and confusion, with many scrambling to adjust travel plans or cancel family reunifications. Religious and student organizations noted that the ban disproportionately affects Muslims, further fueling concerns of Islamophobia in federal policy. Advocacy groups vowed to resist the new restrictions in court and through public campaigns.

National Guard
National Guard Deployed to Los Angeles.

Following escalating protests over ICE raids, President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles on June 8. The federal activation, under Title 10, marked a rare use of military force in domestic immigration-related unrest. The move was intended to "restore order" after demonstrators clashed with local police in several areas, and reports indicated that Marines were also on standby for potential deployment. The presence of military vehicles and armed soldiers in civilian areas drew intense media coverage and sparked concerns about authoritarian overreach.

State and local officials criticized the federal response as excessive and politically motivated. California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the deployment, saying it risked further inflaming tensions rather than calming them. Civil rights organizations accused the administration of using military force to silence dissent and suppress immigrant communities. The deployment added a new layer of tension to an already volatile situation, with some analysts warning it could set a dangerous precedent for handling civil unrest.

Gavin Newsom
Newsom Demands Trump Withdraw Guard From LA.

President Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles on Saturday night through a federal memorandum, ordering them to assist federal law enforcement officers who were confronting growing unrest in downtown LA and surrounding areas. The deployment came as protests erupted against ongoing immigration enforcement operations, with federal officials reporting that several law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the confrontations.

Governor Gavin Newsom immediately condemned Trump's action and demanded that the federal government rescind the deployment order. Newsom's legal affairs secretary, David Sapp, sent a formal letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arguing that the administration violated proper legal procedures by bypassing the governor's office entirely. The letter argues that federal law requires National Guard deployment orders to be submitted to state governors. Still, the Defense Department instead sent directives directly to California's Adjutant General without coordination or approval from the governor's office.

California officials maintain that local law enforcement resources remain sufficient to handle the situation and argue that deploying untrained National Guard troops without proper orders would risk unnecessarily escalating tensions. Newsom characterizes the federal intervention as "a serious breach of state sovereignty" designed to inflame the situation while simultaneously preventing California from deploying these personnel where the state determines they are truly needed. The governor demands immediate return of the National Guard to state control, asserting that California maintained order effectively until federal involvement complicated the response.

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Yours sincerely,

Tosin Agboola