Trump Deploys National Guard to Los Angeles Amid Immigration Protests

shibnathkhan

Tonight, we bring you a breaking and politically charged story from Los Angeles. In a rare and controversial decision, President Donald Trump has activated 2,000 National Guard troops to respond to widespread immigration protests—without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom. This move has triggered legal outrage and deepened divisions across the state. Protests erupted after aggressive ICE raids led to over 100 arrests, sparking outrage in communities like Paramount and downtown L.A. While many demonstrations remained peaceful, clashes occurred, prompting federal forces to respond with riot control tactics. Critics argue the government used excessive force, especially after tear gas was deployed against peaceful protesters. The governor condemned Trump’s actions as a dangerous overreach of federal power. Civil rights groups have echoed that sentiment, calling the deployment unconstitutional and politically motivated. Meanwhile, Homeland Security defends the decision, claiming it ensures public safety. The situation escalated further with reports of active-duty Marines being placed on standby—a potential violation of the Posse Comitatus Act. Tensions are rising, but so are calls for calm, dignity, and justice. Democratic News TV will continue to follow this developing story closely. For now, the nation watches as Los Angeles becomes a flashpoint in the battle over immigration, protest rights, and executive authority. I’m Shibnath. Thank you for watching. Stay safe, stay informed, and stay vigilant—because democracy depends on it.  KEY WORDS: Donald Trump National Guard Los Angeles immigration protests California National Guard deployment Trump bypasses Governor Newsom ICE raids Los Angeles Paramount immigration arrests Kristi Noem Homeland Security Trump vs. Gavin Newsom National Guard protest crackdown Peaceful protests in LA Immigration enforcement controversy Posse Comitatus Act violation Federal troops in California Union leader protest arrest Compton civil unrest Civil rights and immigration Democratic News TV special report LA protest police response Trump 2024 political strategy Activists demand ICE reform  HASH TAGS: #ImmigrationProtests #LosAngelesUnrest #TrumpNationalGuard #ICEraids #GavinNewsom #ParamountProtests #FederalOverreach #CivilRightsNow #ProtectDemocracy #PeacefulProtest #DeportationCrisis #StopTheRaids #NationalGuardLA #JournalismMatters #DemocraticNewsTV #ShibnathKhan

Transcript

00:00Welcome viewers.

00:30I'm Sheebnath and this is Democratic News TV, your trusted voice for balanced, fearless

00:36journalism.

00:37Tonight, we bring you a developing and dramatic story unfolding in Los Angeles.

00:44In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump has activated National Guard troops

00:49to respond to ongoing immigration protests, igniting a political firestorm across California.

00:57From rising tensions in Paramount to the legal controversy over bypassing the state governor's

01:02authority, tonight's deep dive unpacks what this means for democracy, protest rights and

01:08immigration in America.

01:11In a move that has sent shockwaves through the political and civic landscape of California,

01:16President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2000 California National Guard troops to

01:21Los Angeles.

01:33This action, taken without the request or consent of Ghana Gavin Newsom marks the first time in

01:40decades that a state's National Guard was federalized in this manner, raising serious constitutional

01:46and legal concerns.

01:48The deployment follows several days of escalating protests in Los Angeles, centered on the federal

01:54government's aggressive immigration enforcement operations.

02:24national guard has called the political parties to the political parties.

02:41These demonstrations, mostly peaceful but occasionally erupting into clashes, have drawn hundreds of

02:46protesters to areas such as downtown Los Angeles and the heavily Latino city of Paramount.

02:54On Sunday morning, armored vehicles and long gun-carrying members of the California National

02:59Guard's 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were seen assembling at federal complexes

03:05across Los Angeles, including the Metropolitan Detention Center.

03:10Federal authorities, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have stated that the

03:16troops were deployed to keep the peace and protect both protest rights and law enforcement

03:22personnel.

03:23However, this deployment has triggered sharp criticism from local leaders and civil rights

03:29advocates.

03:30Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, condemned Trump's decision as purposefully inflammatory,

03:37calling the deployment of the National Guard a dangerous escalation that circumvents constitutional

03:43norms.

03:44We didn't ask for them, and we don't need them, Newsom said in a press conference.

03:50This president is playing politics with people's lives.

03:54Newsom also strongly rebuked Defense Secretary Pete Hexather's threat to deploy active duty

04:00U.S. Marines if violence continues, calling it deranged behavior.

04:07Newsom also

04:11covid-19

04:15Newsom also

04:20Newsom also

04:22Newsom also

04:26Newsom also

04:28Historically, the use of active duty military forces on domestic soil is restricted by

04:58the Posse Comitators Act, exceptions to which are rare and controversial.

05:04The protests began in response to sweeping immigration raids carried out by Immigration

05:09and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles, which led to over 100 arrests in just a few days.

05:28A significant number of these arrests occurred in Paramount, where protesters attempted to

05:52block border patrol vehicles by forming human barricades.

05:57Some demonstrators reportedly threw rocks and cement, prompting federal agents to respond

06:02with tear gas, flashbang grenades and pepper balls.

06:07One notable incident involved the arrest of a prominent union leader accused of impeding

06:12law enforcement during a peaceful protest.

06:16By Saturday night, fires were reported in the nearby city of Compton and tensions boiled

06:22over outside federal buildings.

06:25Police in Los Angeles declared unlawful assemblies, made 29 arrests and attempted to disperse demonstrators

06:32using riot control tactics.

06:35While federal authorities framed the protests as violent, multiple eyewitnesses and activists

06:41on the ground argued that the demonstrators were largely peaceful and that force used by authorities

06:47was disproportionate.

07:11Police in Los Angeles said that the police said that the police did not provoke anything.

07:19Coli Linda Aleman, a Mexican-American activist protesting in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount,

07:26said she was tear-gassed while peacefully chanting against the raids.

07:31We did not provoke anything, she told reporters.

07:34There was an electrical box on the corner across from the agents and the crowd was moving in

07:40so they employed the crowd control tactics like the tear gas and it was too close to me

07:45so I decided to get down and kick it away and as soon as I kicked my second can I got hit

07:50and I wasn't out of breath and I didn't think I was gonna...

07:54They were continually spraying us with tear gas but we kept going.

07:59We won't back down just because the National Guard is here.

08:03Aleman, like many in the community, is demanding that I send what they call inhumane detentions

08:09and raids and insists that innocent families must be allowed to return home.

08:14People who are dealing with immigration or feeling really unsafe know that there are people

08:20out here who do care about what happened.

08:22We have riot gear here when people are protesting.

08:24I think it genuinely escalates...

08:26I don't want to hurt anyone as far as I can tell.

08:28Right, the thing is we have to keep sure that it's completely non-violent and it's peaceful

08:32and together we have to move...

08:34Despite the National Guard's visible presence, activists are continuing to organize mass demonstrations

08:40outside city hall and federal buildings with local leaders urging calm and non-violence.

08:47Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended Trump's decision suggesting that Garner Newsom

08:54had made bad decisions and that the President acted in the interest of community safety.

08:59The National Guard is there not just to protect law enforcement officers but to protect the

09:06community, she said.

09:08She also emphasized that Guard members had specialized training in de-escalation and riot control.

09:15ICE acting director Dodd Lyons further inflamed tensions by blaming the Los Angeles Police Department

09:22Lapped for a delayed response to Friday night's protests.

09:26He claimed it took Lapped over two hours to respond calling the department's actions disgraceful.

09:33However, Lapped denied the allegations citing logistical challenges such as traffic congestion

09:40and uncoordinated federal actions which they say hampered an effective response.

09:45Speaking to reporters en route to Camp David, Trump remained unapologetic.

09:50We are going to have troops everywhere, he said.

09:54Spit!

09:55We hit!

09:56I told them.

09:57Nobody is going to spit on our police officers.

10:00Nobody is going to spit on our military officers.

10:02We are not going to let this happen to our country.

10:05If we see danger to our country and our citizens, we are going to be very strong.

10:12He also admitted to bypassing Ghana Newsom's authority.

10:16I told him, you've got to take care of it, otherwise I'm sending in the troops and that's

10:22what we did.

10:24Trump's actions align closely with his long-standing campaign promise to enforce law and order with

10:29an iron fist.

10:32Federal analysts suggest that the move is not only about immigration enforcement but also

10:37a strategic manoeuvre to galvanize his political base ahead of the 2024 elections.

10:44Democratic Congresswoman Nanette Bergan of Paramount blasted the decision.

10:49The President is sending in the National Guard not to protect people, but because he doesn't

10:55like the optics of people peacefully protesting, she told CNN.

11:00This is not what democracy looks like.

11:04Criticism has also been directed at FBI Director Kash Patel, who posted on X, formerly Twitter,

11:11hit a cop, you're going to jail.

11:14Social media users quickly drew attention to Trump's previous pardons of 6 January rioters,

11:20accusing the administration of hypocrisy.

11:23As of now, the National Guard has stationed approximately 300 troops at three key locations around Los Angeles,

11:32with hundreds more on standby.

11:34Meanwhile, active duty Marines have been told to prepare for potential deployment,

11:40a step that would escalate the crisis significantly.

11:44Los Angeles, a city of nearly 10 million residents, has witnessed civil unrest before,

11:50from the Rodney King riots in 1990 to to George Floyd protests in 2020.

11:56But the current crisis is unique in its political underpinnings.

12:00The deployment of the National Guard without gubernatorial approval sets a new precedent and raises questions

12:25about the limits of federal power during civil unrest.

12:30Many residents remain unaware of the full scope of what's happening,

12:34as the protests are geographically concentrated in specific neighborhoods.

12:39Still, the implications are national in scale.

12:43As this unprecedented situation continues to unfold,

12:47Democratic News TV will remain at the front lines,

12:50bringing you truth, context and clarity.

12:54I'm Sheeb Naath and this has been your special report.

12:58Whether you're watching from Los Angeles, New York or anywhere around the globe,

13:04stay engaged, stay informed and remember the fight for justice, civil rights and democracy does not end with headlines.

13:12We'll be watching, we'll be reporting and we'll be holding power to account.

13:20Until next time, stay safe and stay aware.

13:24Goodbye.

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