Donald Trump pledged during his campaign to combat what he termed left-wing lawlessness using presidential powers. Saturday night’s protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in California provided an opportunity to act on that promise.
The demonstrations targeted ICE activities, with the Los Angeles Police Department characterizing them as largely peaceful. However, more disruptive incidents involved several hundred participants according to police reports.
Trump administration officials stated that immigration agents faced targeting and injuries, criticizing local law enforcement response times as inadequate.
“Waiting several hours for LAPD to show up – or them telling us that they’re not going to back us up until they have an officer in a dangerous situation – is something that just isn’t workable when you have violent protests going on,” Homeland Security Secretary Kirsty Noem told CBS News Sunday.
The LAPD responded that it “acted as swiftly as conditions safely allowed” and began crowd dispersal within 55 minutes of receiving the initial call.
Despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections, Trump federalized 2,000 California National Guard soldiers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that US Marines were on “high alert” for potential deployment, representing a rare consideration of active duty military use on domestic soil.
By Sunday morning, Trump declared victory and credited the National Guard with restoring peace, though the guard had not yet fully assembled.
The rapid response indicates the administration’s preparedness for such confrontations. White House officials view law and order messaging alongside aggressive immigration enforcement as politically advantageous positions.
These actions may energize Trump’s core supporters while potentially appealing to independents concerned about public safety issues.
Noem referenced the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Minnesota, stating they spread without adequate response, contrasting with the current administration’s approach.
“We’re not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen,” she said.
Democratic officials have criticized the administration’s tactics, particularly the use of masked immigration officers with military equipment conducting arrests in civilian locations like restaurants and shops. They argue the president’s military deployment readiness was excessive.
“For the president to do this when it wasn’t requested, breaking with generations of tradition, is only going to incite the situation and make things worse,” said New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.
“A lot of these peaceful protests are being generated because the president of the United States is sowing chaos and confusion by arresting people who are showing up for their immigration hearings, who are trying to abide by the law.”
The United States historically experiences an increase in protest activity during the summer months, with the peak typically occurring in early June. Five months into Trump’s second term, these California events may represent an isolated incident or potentially signal broader civil unrest ahead.
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