Trump signs order deploying National Guard to LA for 'immigration enforcement protest crackdown'

In Los Angeles (LA), United States, immigration authorities conducting crackdowns on undocumented immigrants clashed with protesting crowds. Tensions have risen especially with President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to suppress the large-scale protests.

According to reports from the Associated Press and CNN on the 8th (local time), 300 National Guard members were deployed and began operations in three major areas of LA this morning.

Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, appeared on CBS and said, "Today's National Guard troops have received special training for responding to such crowd situations," adding, "They will ensure safety for operations and guarantee peaceful protests can take place."

She also said, "We will not let what happened in 2020 repeat," but did not give specifics on operations.

The 2020 incident Noem referenced is the death of Black man George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota due to excessive police force, which triggered nationwide 'Black Lives Matter' protests against racial discrimination.

The large-scale protests were sparked on the 6th, when immigration agents like ICE and the FBI raided LA's downtown garment markets and Home Depot stores, arresting and detaining 44 undocumented immigrants working in those areas.

Protests erupted in places such as the ICE raid sites, around federal detention centers holding undocumented immigrants, and in Hispanic-majority Paramount neighborhoods, with citizens protesting against the authorities.

Protests continued on the 7th, with clashes reported, including protesters kicking Border Patrol vehicles. Authorities responded forcibly using tear gas and flash grenades to disperse the crowds.

Physical clashes between smaller groups of protesters and authorities were also reported on the morning of the 8th in the Compton area south of LA.

Dan Bongino, Deputy Director of the FBI, warned on X (formerly Twitter) that "immigration enforcement operations will continue, and anyone who uses violence to obstruct these operations will be investigated and prosecuted."

Bongino further stated that "Numerous arrests have already been made in LA and New York," urging, "If you choose violence, the outcome will not be favorable for you, so choose wisely."

On social media Truth Social, President Trump criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom of the Democratic Party and others for not responding properly to the protests, declaring, "The federal government will intervene to solve the problem, namely the riots and looters."

Subsequently, the White House announced that President Trump had signed an order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to LA.

According to CNN, this is the first time since the 1992 LA riots, which were triggered by racial discrimination issues, that the U.S. president has deployed the National Guard to suppress protests by federal order. Also, deploying the National Guard without the governor's request is the first time in 60 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators in 1965.

Governor Newsom criticized the Trump administration's use of the National Guard, saying, "This is a deliberately provocative action towards protesters," and "It is not a necessary measure but one intended to create a crisis."

He continued, "President Trump wants chaos to justify more crackdowns and greater control," appealing to the protesters, "Please remain calm and absolutely do not use violence. Maintain peace."

Yonghyun Shin, Korea Economic Daily reporter yonghyun@hankyung.com