In Los Angeles, a wave of unrest rooted in federal immigration raids has escalated into a citywide conflict between protesters and the U.S. government. The deployment of thousands of troops, including the California National Guard and U.S. Marines, just days before the scheduled 250th‑anniversary military parade in Washington, D.C., has underscored a stark national confrontation over the use of federal force and the right to protest.
The unrest was triggered June 6 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted coordinated raids in and around downtown Los Angeles, targeting garment factories, a Home Depot parking lot and other locations. Hundreds were arrested that day, and clashes with law enforcement ensued: stun grenades, tear gas and flash‑bangs were deployed as protesters demonstrated in the downtown area.
Over the weekend, what began as largely peaceful demonstrations devolved into chaos in parts of downtown. Protesters blocked the 101 Freeway while law enforcement responded with rubber bullets and riot crowd‑control tactics. Multiple fires were set and several businesses in the area were looted. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell reported nearly 200 arrests, including charges ranging from assault to attempted murder, and authorities confirmed injuries to both civilians and six law enforcement horses.
Mayor Karen Bass imposed a nightly curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in a one‑square‑mile area of downtown, declaring a local emergency as the situation continued to threaten public safety.
The Trump administration activated California’s National Guard, federalizing approximately 4,000 Guard troops June 7, followed by 700 Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, the largest Marine Corps base in the country, on June 9. Governor Gavin Newsom publicly condemned the action as an “abuse of power.”
The White House said the military presence is limited to protecting federal buildings and personnel. Legal and civil‑liberties groups like the ACLU, however, have called it coercive and unconstitutional.
Governor Newsom filed an emergency motion to block further federal deployments, describing the move as “undermining American democracy”. The motion was part of Newsom’s lawsuit against the Trump administration, including President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense.
In a speech Tuesday evening, Newsom warned that other jurisdictions would now face similar military interventions from the federal government and pledged to pursue legal recourse.
“California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next,” a somber Newsom said. “Democracy is next. Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived.”
The Los Angeles escalations have triggered demonstrations across the U.S., with smaller anti‑ICE protests in Denver, Aurora, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott mobilized the National Guard ahead of protests in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
According to recent polling from Axios, nearly half of Americans disapprove of the federal military response to unrest.
Back in Washington, authorities are fully engaged in preparations for the Army’s 250th‑anniversary military parade, scheduled for June 14, just ahead of President Trump’s 79th birthday. The event will feature over 6,600 troops from active‑duty, Guard and reserve units, as well as tanks and military hardware in the largest military procession since the 1991 Desert Storm celebration.
The juxtaposition is sharp: while scenes of civil unrest play out in Los Angeles under the banner of immigration and protest, the federal government proceeds with a high-profile show of military might in the nation’s capital.
Expectations are high for nationwide mobilizations on June 14, with protest organizers signaling that any display of military strength will be met with dissent. Meanwhile, the legality of deploying U.S. troops against American citizens remains under intense scrutiny.
