U.S President Donald Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration enforcement in the city.
The deployment of troops to LA comes after objections from California’s Governor Gavin Newsom and a second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear.
Confrontations escalated in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles.
Federal agents were based at a Homeland Security office and made use of tear gas, flash-bangs, and pepper balls, while protesters threw rocks and debris at Border Patrol vehicles.
Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100.
A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement.
Newsom, a Democrat, said in a post on the social platform X that it was “purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.”
In a signal of the administration’s aggressive approach, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to deploy the U.S military.
Writing on X, Trump insulted Newsom, saying that he had taken action due to the state leader and mayor of LA both being incapable of stopping protests.
The post said: “If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”
Trump federalised part of California’s National Guard under what is called Title 10 authority, which places him above the Governor in the chain of command in California.
The U.S President signed the order shortly before attending a UFC fight in New Jersey, sitting ringside with boxer Mike Tyson.
Some 44 people were arrested back on Friday by federal authorities on Friday, prompting protests across LA.
DHS later said recent ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrest of 118 immigrants, including five people linked to criminal organisations and people with prior criminal histories.
David Huerta, regional president of the Service Employees International Union, was also arrested Friday while protesting.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for his immediate release, warning of a “disturbing pattern of arresting and detaining American citizens for exercising their right to free speech.”
