LA riots erupt after immigration raids; Trump sends troops, Newsom sues over National Guard control.
Violent protests erupt in Los Angeles after federal immigration raids;
Trump sends troops, Newsom sues over National Guard control.
Los Angeles, USA – Chaos engulfed downtown LA on June 8–9, 2025, after
federal immigration sweeps triggered mass protests, violent clashes, and a
political firestorm between President Donald Trump and California Governor
Gavin Newsom.
The unrest highlights escalating tensions over federal immigration
enforcement and state authority, as California defies federal orders while
communities erupt in fury over perceived human rights violations.
At the center are President Trump, who ordered 2,000 National Guard troops
into Los Angeles without state approval, and Governor Newsom, who decried the
move as unconstitutional. Protesters, LAPD, ICE agents, and civil rights groups
also play key roles.
"Trump is hoping for chaos so he can justify more crackdowns, more
fear, more control," Newsom said Sunday. "Los Angeles: don’t take
Trump’s bait."
Over the weekend, Los Angeles descended into violence reminiscent of a
war zone. Demonstrators torched Waymo taxis and set up barricades near the
Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, where ICE raids had reportedly detained
dozens of undocumented migrants.
Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and mass arrests.
Protesters hurled projectiles and smoke canisters on the 101 freeway.
Photos captured burning vehicles, bloodied faces, and heavily armed
police under bridges and beside smoldering barricades. One widely circulated
image shows a protester clutching his abdomen after being hit by a
“less-lethal” round.
President Trump claimed he was restoring order, tweeting: “LAW &
ORDER IS BACK. The troops will protect AMERICA.” But Newsom declared the troop
deployment “illegal and immoral,” vowing to take the matter to federal court.
The White House doubled down. Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson called
Newsom’s claims “a bald-faced lie,” insisting that violence was already
spiraling before federal involvement.
The riots follow a string of immigration crackdowns in California, part
of Trump’s renewed push for mass deportations ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Activists say families have been separated and rights trampled.
The city, already scarred by wildfires and economic inequality, is
bracing for more unrest. Cleanup crews began clearing debris on June 9, while
helicopters circled overhead and armed National Guard troops patrolled federal
sites.
As lawsuits fly and streets smolder, Los Angeles is now ground zero in a
national battle over immigration, civil liberties, and the balance of federal
power. The coming days may determine not just legal precedents, but the tone of
the 2026 campaign cycle.
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