US Cities Brace For Escalating Immigration Protests: Los Angeles Enforces Curfew, National Guard Deployed Amid Trump Crackdown

Los Angeles imposed a curfew on parts of downtown Tuesday night as protests against President Donald Trump‘s immigration raids intensified for the fifth consecutive day, prompting a military deployment.

What Happened: The Los Angeles Police Department initiated “mass arrests” after protesters remained in curfewed areas, with 197 arrests made Tuesday alone.

Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to protect federal personnel and buildings following five days of demonstrations. The protests followed Trump’s executive order barring nearly all immigration and travel from 12 nations, including Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, and Somalia, citing poor vetting and terrorism threats.

California Governor Gavin Newsom sued the federal government Monday to block the military deployment. “Democracy is under assault,” Newsom said in a video address Tuesday.

Trump defended the response at Fort Bragg, stating his administration would “liberate Los Angeles.” Trump also expressed support for arresting Newsom, telling reporters, “I would do it if I were Tom,” referring to ICE director Tom Homan.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids arrested 2,000 immigration offenders daily, exceeding the 311 daily average under former President Joe Biden. Federal operations targeted The Home Depot Inc. HD stores in Westlake, Whittier, and Huntington Park, disrupting business operations.

Home Depot confirmed it was not informed about the raids beforehand. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a National Guard deployment ahead of planned protests, while demonstrations spread to New York, Atlanta, and Chicago.

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Why It Matters: The federal-state confrontation represents the most significant immigration enforcement clash since Trump’s return to office. California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned federal troop deployment could violate the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act restricting military involvement in civilian law enforcement.

Home Depot faces potential customer traffic impacts as many clients depend on undocumented day laborers for construction work. The Atlanta-based retailer reported $39.86 billion in Q1 sales but missed earnings estimates.

Trump administration officials vowed to intensify immigration raids in response to street protests, potentially escalating tensions between federal authorities and Democratic-led states.

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