The streets of Los Angeles have transformed into a battleground as days of mass protests, looting, and violent clashes erupted in response to aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids ordered by President Donald Trump. What began as scattered demonstrations over the weekend has now spiraled into a full-scale civil unrest, prompting the unprecedented deployment of thousands of federal troops, including Marines, into the heart of America’s second-largest city.
On Tuesday evening, the California National Guard was joined by approximately 2,500 active-duty troops, including units from the Marine Corps, as they fanned out across neighborhoods of East and South Los Angeles. According to Bloomberg, the Pentagon confirmed the mobilization but admitted it came “without prior coordination” with local authorities — a move that has further inflamed tensions between city officials and Washington.
Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Caruso publicly criticized the deployment, stating in a press briefing, “There was no prior notice. We are now trying to coordinate in real-time with federal personnel on the ground — this is a recipe for confusion and escalation,” according to Bloomberg.
The protests were triggered by a sweeping series of ICE raids launched over the weekend, which reportedly resulted in the detention of over 1,200 undocumented immigrants in greater Los Angeles alone. Trump praised the operation on his TruthSocial account, calling it “a massive victory for law and order” and declaring California “a sanctuary no more.”
But the human cost of this so-called victory has drawn fierce criticism from human rights organizations and local residents. Eyewitness accounts described agents storming homes and workplaces with assault rifles, dragging parents away in front of their children. According to CNN, numerous children have been left stranded in schools and daycare centers following their parents’ arrest, according to CNN.
In South Gate, a predominantly Latino neighborhood, the protests turned violent as demonstrators clashed with ICE units backed by federal marshals. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, but not before several buildings were set ablaze and dozens of stores were looted.
NewNationNow reports that some immigrant communities were even blocking streets to prevent ICE vehicles from entering residential areas. In East Los Angeles, protestors held signs reading “We are not criminals” and “Trump’s war is not our war,” while chanting slogans condemning the militarization of immigration policy, according to NewsNationNow.
Amid the growing chaos, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and demanded that the White House “cease unilateral military action in our state.” He accused Trump of “weaponizing immigration enforcement to terrorize marginalized communities and provoke social collapse.”
Yet the federal government shows no signs of retreat. White House Press Secretary Sarah Kent claimed in a statement that the President is “restoring federal authority where local Democrats have failed to uphold immigration laws.” She accused the protestors of “protecting criminals and enabling lawlessness.”
The Russian outlet Gazeta.ru, which has closely followed the events, noted that Trump’s response was reminiscent of authoritarian crackdowns. “Deploying Marines against unarmed civilians in a city already inflamed by injustice is not a show of strength—it’s an admission of failure,” wrote Russian columnist Igor Korotchenko, according to Russian Gazeta.
according to LA Times, that the Los Angeles Times offered sobering updates from the front lines, reporting that at least 36 people had been hospitalized with injuries from crowd control weapons, while over 400 protestors have been arrested since Sunday. The paper noted that several city council members have called for the immediate suspension of ICE activities in Los Angeles County.
Political ramifications and nationwide ripple effects
The situation in LA may mark the beginning of a broader backlash against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Democratic lawmakers in Washington, including Senator Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called for congressional hearings into what she described as “the use of military power against civilians on domestic soil.”
Even traditionally moderate figures such as Senator Tim Kaine criticized the move. “This is not governance. This is provocation. If you send Marines to police neighborhoods, don’t be surprised when those neighborhoods erupt,” Kaine tweeted.
There are signs that the unrest could spread. Protests are now being organized in San Diego, Oakland, Chicago, and New York. Social media campaigns like #NoRaidsNoPeace and #OccupyICE are trending globally, with support pouring in from international rights organizations.
In the Middle East, reactions are equally charged. Officials in the UAE and Turkey criticized the US response, accusing it of hypocrisy. The same country that lectures us on human rights is now using its army against its own people, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
A nation at a breaking point
As the sun sets on Los Angeles, the smell of smoke and the sound of helicopters fill the air. Residents are bracing for another night of unrest, with no indication that either side is willing to back down.
While President Trump may believe he’s restoring order, what he may have done is set fire to the fragile trust between American citizens and their government. The crackdown, intended to demonstrate strength, has instead exposed deep fractures in American democracy and sparked an outcry that transcends party lines and national borders.
