Policeand ICE deployment at the 2025 Los Angeles ICE riots (Photo: ICE post)
California Lawmakers React to Los Angeles Riots Over ICE Immigration Raids
Trump sends California National Guard into Los Angeles
By Evan Symon, June 8, 2025 9:06 am
Protests turned into riots on Saturday in Los Angeles as the unrest over United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration raids grew, with Californian lawmakers speaking out against the federal response as well as backing the California National Guard moving in to restore order.
The riots date back to earlier in the week when ICE conducted a series of raids in Los Angeles resulting in 118 illegal immigrants arrested, including 5 who have either criminal histories or are part of criminal organizations. This included 44 arrests on Friday, with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President David Huerta among the most well known person in jail so far. Protests began outside ICE facilities on Thursday, with the number of protests swiftly escalating on Friday and Saturday. These included several protests in and around downtown Los Angeles on Friday and the small city of Paramount on Saturday outside of a Home Depot
Thousands have come out to protest at the events, with many blaming President Donald Trump, shouting slogans against ICE, and waving Mexican flags. Entire intersections have also been shut down, with riots over the ICE arrests beginning to take place. Condemning the actions, President Trump swiftly called out the California National Guard on Saturday, sending 2,000 national guard soldiers into Los Angeles and Paramount to restore order. In addition, Trump threatened to activate Marines at Camp Pendleton to help restore order as well.
“In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Saturday. “These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States. In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens. That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice. The Commander-in-Chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.”
“The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil; a dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK,” added Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on X. “Under President Trump, violence & destruction against federal agents & federal facilities will NOT be tolerated. It’s COMMON SENSE. The Department of Defense is mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. And, if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert.”
Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom harshly criticized the Trump Administration over sending federal troops into LA, saying that their presence would only escalate tensions.
“The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” said Newsom in a statement. “LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.
“The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery. This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”
“The Secretary of Defense is now threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens,” added Newsom on X later on Saturday. “This is deranged behavior.”
Trump himself responded close to midnight on Saturday, praising the Californian troops for helping quell protesters while also admonishing both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, comparing their actions to their slow response to the Los Angeles wildfires in January.
“Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest,” posted Trump on Truth Social. “We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is complete!), unable to to handle the task. These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED. Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!”
Lawmakers from across California had a mix of responses to both the riots and the federal response on Saturday. Some, like Mayor Bass, criticized the federal response, saying that the LAPD could have handled it.
“I’m concerned that the federal government has nationalized the national guard and we could have troops in our city,” said Bass. “I do not believe that it’s called for because I am confident LAPD and other law enforcement in Los Angeles can handle things in Los Angeles.”
“The dangerous escalation of the tactics being used across Los Angeles undermines trust between our immigrant communities and government, and makes us all less safe,” wrote Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto. “Immigrants are our family members, our neighbors, our coworkers, and our classmates and raids such as these do nothing but bring fear to our neighborhoods and our residents. All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to constitutional protections including due process and equal protection.”
Meanwhile, others pointed out that the federal response was justified and that the raids stemmed more from Sanctuary policies in the state. Others also continued to praise the California National Guards actions, with some noting that Trump gave a rare compliment about California in approving of them.
“California Republicans had a solution in our Senate Bill 554, but the ‘Sanctuary City’ crowd brought this on themselves by prohibiting state and local law enforcement from cooperating with the Feds to identify violent illegal immigrants in prisons and jails,” explained Senator Brian Jones (R-San Diego). “Now the Feds have to run broader raids, like what we’re seeing in LA, which sweep up way more people. This whole thing was easily preventable,” said Leader Jones.
“In April, Democrats on the Senate Public Safety Committee blocked Senate Bill 554, the Safety Before Criminal Sanctuary Act. SB 554 would have required local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities for illegal immigrants convicted of serious and violent felonies including rape, child molestation, armed robbery, DUIs, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
“Current law simply allows – but does not require – local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities if they reach out seeking the transfer of individuals convicted of certain serious crimes. When law enforcement chooses not to cooperate, federal agents are often forced to conduct dangerous at-large raids in neighborhoods instead of making arrests safely in jails.”
“The Right to assemble and protest does not include a license to attack law enforcement officers, or to impede and obstruct our lawful immigration operations,” explained FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The days of chaos ruling the streets are over. Either obey the law, or go to jail, there’s no third option.”
While the riots quelled down somewhat on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, with National Guard troops now being deployed, it is unknown if Sunday will turn out to be a day of the riots growing or receding in the city.
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The violence is being spearheaded by a Mexican BLM clone group in LA…..Another “summer of love” coming soon? Undoubtedly with connections to CHIRLA and the other left-wing non-profits.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/riots-erupt-la-ice-facility-mexican-blm-clone-unleashes-color-revolution-operation
Have been watching the live coverage from LA news stations. It is clear that the violent activists infiltrate legitimate protesters or pose as legitimate peaceful protesters among them. Late last night Newscum sent in the CHP in force to stage in LA and give the impression that his law enforcement is present and the situation is under control. Bass did the same with LAPD and LA County Sheriff. This is all for SHOW so that the “dynamic duo” can claim that President Trump’s federalization of the National Guard is not justified.
FYI, to add to Raymond’s fine commentary:
Protests organized by CHIRLA, which is funded by ActBlue:
https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1931685349803139308?s=46
P.S. ALL of the local TV news coverage (that I scarcely otherwise watch nowadays), with the possible exception of KTLA 10 p.m., has been unbelievably biased in this, with, for example, outraged longtime women reporters/talking heads, such as Laura Diaz, (KCAL?) simmering with rage and self-righteousness against the Feds and for the paid protesters. Video and on-the-street “interviews” are cherry-picked with key omissions that are clearly trying to paint a picture that is not accurate. If this nonsense with the paid protesters should explode in spite of best efforts much of the blame should go to local TV news, if you ask me.
I agree Showandtell, regarding the talking head reporters and interviews with “protesters”. I didn’t pay much attention to them. I don’t know which station owns the ‘copter flying over the federal building on Temple and Alameda but they were good with commentary. They spotted and followed the CHP convoy staging, along with LAPD, around 11pm after everything had pretty much calmed down with only a small crowd remaining. That’s when the feds retreated and local law enforcement took over at the skirmish lines. Any local official who told people to go out and protest should be arrested for inciting a riot.
Thanks for the rundown. Raymond. I think the copter coverage you are referring to might be Stu Mundel, Fox11LA, who is a good guy from what I have seen and has provided reasonable, neutral coverage. In other words, just reporting and photographing.
As you know, there is a very large illegal alien population down here; thus local TV news reporting will inevitably cater to a changing demographic. So could biased and angry news coverage be a problem, with so much emotional friends-and-family talk? Many of them (obviously not everyone, by the way) whose duty it is to provide reasonably fair information are instead outraged women who seem to want to stir up drama. They are supposed to be seasoned professionals and apparently are not.
Yes EMOTIONAL indeed, Showandtell. Humongous crowds today in downtown LA. The 110 freeway totally blocked. Just being cleared now around 5:30pm. I did some ESL teaching in LA in my younger days. My practice teaching was in East Los Angeles. That was an eye-opening experience; no English signs on any businesses for miles – Spanish only. It was the first time where I felt like I was in a foreign country….in the USA. I hope this ends soon but maybe wishful thinking.
Amen.
I dream of Pelican Bay stuffed with (d) indentifiers.
Hey Raymond, I know what you mean.
I sat for an hour, late on Christmas eve once, at a bus stop on Whittier Blvd. (&Soto?). Pastel buildings with iron barred windows should have been an early sign. Not another soul in sight and then a lowered chevy with five occupants pulls up to a side window across the street and receives a package. Okay beer but they head straight over and park in front of me.
A woman in the back seat screams What the … are you doing here? Big guy in the front passenger side says well? I replied, Merry Christmas. She began to start up again and he turned around and ordered her to stop and the driver to move on. He noticed the open payphone I left off-hook as the car slowly moved on.
Michael Jaco, a former Navy Seal and ex-CIA, has podcasts on YouTube and Rumble and he predicted today that the LA riots are just the beginning and that as many as 17 US cities will be lost in the coming leftist wars that will breakout across America. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doe9Z29JBlk)
I am a huge admirer of Natalie Winters she is a very spirited, smart and unafraid investigative journalist!
Essentially AcT Blue is the DNC! These b.s. “mostly peaceful protests” are the brainchild of the dirty dems like Maxinator Waters! Always at the ready to light the match at a wild riot bonfire!
I hope all can see through this gaslighting. Remember Karen Bass ordered the LAPD to stand down on Friday. She essentially encouraged this dare I say insurrection!
Follow the money and it will lead to the protagonists in the DNC and the Marxist foundations who are hell bent on destroying this country.
BLAH BLAH BLAH. These are all low class third world peoples who have invade our ciountry or are now sympathetic to the invasion. This is nothing, it will pass and the Federal Government will do its job. If local politicians had done their job this would not be happening. Advanced people correcting the behavior of primitive people, that’s all.
The Guber utters the term “citizens” years after stripping us of its meaning in myriad ways.
These protests are not approved through any normal channel. Nothing more than criminally organized, response to a legal justice operation long overdue.
“shouting slogans against ICE, and waving Mexican flags”
These illegal aliens are a bunch of spoiled children.
Go back to Mexico or whatever your home country is. We don’t want you. You are nothing but a burden to U.S. citizens. The majority of the U.S. citizens support deporting ALL of the illegal aliens.
“Mostly peaceful” (not) anti-ICE riots Saturday night in L.A.
The X-poster got it right that “these imbeciles are Gavin Newsom’s base”
https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1931750694924558779
Left wing communist groups are behind this!
A.N.S.W.E.R, PSL, We Are California,
Follow the money….
Data Republican is posting a list on her website follow the link posted on X.
https://x.com/datarepublican
If I were a bit of a conspiratorial theorist I would say with Karen Bass’s communist background, she was PLACED as LA Mayor to bring chaos to Los Angeles. First the horrible response to the fires and now the encouragement for the rioters. She is prioritizing illegal aliens over citizens and the well being of first responders!
Need to be addressing the people on the cell phones directing the riot, and find whomever ordered palleted blocks and bricks to be staged anywhere but work sites. Then track down whoever arranged transportation to LA and furnished lodging for the professional, paid rioters that are shipped around the country to burn things down.
Amen and why I oppose a functioning CHSR. Labor unions would make it their own ‘direct action’ vehicle, in which to swarm up and down the state like freshly hatched spiders in a web.
How can the mayor of los angeles, being a former FEDERAL politician allow the city she is currently in charge ??? of try and enact policies in DIRECT violation of Federal statutes ??? what act defines ‘treason’ ????
I saw Democrat City Leaders say they are planning for anything that may happen and will not tolerate violence. Then I saw a photo of Guber at a table with L.A. L.E.O.s
May I wish to be a fly on the wall…