Newsom Blasts Trump’s Military Sweep in Los Angeles \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s military deployment in Los Angeles, calling it a “dragnet” aimed at immigrants. Nearly 5,000 troops are now active in the city, fueling tension amid protests over immigration raids. A lawsuit and political backlash have emerged, setting up a major legal and political showdown.
Quick Looks
- Trump sends 5,000 troops to LA amid immigration raids
- Newsom accuses president of bypassing state authority
- ICE confirms troops are aiding in arrest protection
- Lawsuit filed to block National Guard and Marine deployment
- LA protests trigger curfew after looting and unrest
- Trump hints at using Insurrection Act
- $134 million cost to taxpayers for troop operations
- City officials say military presence is worsening unrest
- Hundreds arrested during protests across the state
- Democrats call situation a “manufactured crisis” by Trump
Deep Look
California is once again at the heart of a national political and constitutional showdown as Governor Gavin Newsom fiercely criticized President Donald Trump’s deployment of military forces in Los Angeles. Speaking publicly on Tuesday, Newsom said Trump was “pulling a military dragnet” across the city, warning that the president’s use of nearly 5,000 troops—including National Guard members and Marines—marks an aggressive and unprecedented intrusion into state affairs.
Trump’s order, framed as part of a sweeping immigration enforcement crackdown, initially placed troops at federal buildings. However, their role has now expanded. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), soldiers are not only guarding federal facilities but also supporting field arrests by protecting ICE agents on the ground. Images released by ICE show National Guard personnel surrounding immigration officers as they conduct operations across Los Angeles.
In a written statement, ICE said that the troops are tasked with “securing federal facilities” and providing protection during “daily enforcement operations.” While the National Guard can temporarily detain individuals who attack officers, all formal arrests must still be carried out by law enforcement. Critics argue the distinction is meaningless given the show of force and its chilling effect on communities.
Governor Newsom, who was not consulted before the deployment, filed an emergency motion in federal court Tuesday to halt the use of military forces in immigration raids. He warned that deploying California’s own National Guard without gubernatorial approval undermines both state sovereignty and public safety. “California may be first — but it clearly won’t end here,” Newsom said, calling on other governors to be vigilant.
In his court filing, Newsom contended that Trump’s actions are likely to “incite further civil unrest,” not quell it. The president’s use of military power comes amid ongoing protests triggered by workplace immigration raids that began Friday and have led to dozens of arrests.
The federal government, in response, accused Newsom of trying to interfere with legitimate federal enforcement operations. A judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday.
This standoff follows the Monday arrival of 700 Marines and another 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Local officials, including Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, say they were not consulted in advance and warn that the military presence is complicating their response to civil unrest. Marine Gen. Eric Smith testified on Capitol Hill that the troops were trained for crowd control but do not have arrest authority. As of Tuesday, Marines had not been seen on public streets.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles has imposed a strict curfew in parts of downtown after days of demonstrations turned destructive. Bass declared a state of emergency, citing the looting of 23 businesses and growing public disorder. The 1-square-mile curfew zone covers areas where protests have surged since the raids began.
“Unlawful and dangerous behavior” had escalated since the weekend, McDonnell said. He defended the curfew as essential to “protect lives and safeguard property.”
President Trump has escalated the rhetoric even further, stating from the Oval Office that he is considering invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows military forces to be used domestically in cases of rebellion or extreme unrest. “If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see,” Trump said.
Later, speaking at Fort Bragg, Trump called the protesters “animals” and described them as a “foreign enemy”—language that sparked fierce criticism from civil rights groups and Democratic leaders, including Newsom and Bass, who argue that the president is inflaming tensions for political gain.
The protests began after ICE detained dozens of undocumented workers across Los Angeles. The backlash was swift. Protesters blocked traffic on the 101 Freeway, set vehicles on fire, and clashed with police. Law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.
While large parts of the protest movement remain peaceful—thousands have rallied outside City Hall and federal detention centers—dozens of arrests have followed. On Tuesday, 197 people were taken into custody, including 67 for obstructing the freeway.
Several more arrests were made for serious charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder involving Molotov cocktails. Seven LAPD officers were injured in the clashes, and two were hospitalized but later released.
The unrest is not confined to California. Demonstrations have spread to New York, Chicago, Austin, and Dallas. National attention is growing as Democrats accuse the Trump administration of using military force to suppress dissent and enforce a harsh immigration agenda.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress on Tuesday that the domestic deployment of troops could increase in the future. “We’re entering another phase where the National Guard and Reserves will be central to securing the homeland,” Hegseth said.
Adding to the drama is the financial cost. The Pentagon revealed that the troop deployment in Los Angeles is expected to cost $134 million—a figure Democrats have called “staggering and unnecessary.”
California’s congressional delegation has slammed the move as a deliberate effort to provoke confrontation. On Monday, state Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a separate lawsuit seeking to block Trump’s orders. The legal and political battle now seems poised to determine how far a sitting president can go in unilaterally deploying troops on U.S. soil for immigration enforcement—potentially rewriting the rules of federal-state authority in the process.
Trump, however, remains defiant. “Without the Guard, LA would have been completely obliterated,” he said Tuesday. That claim has been sharply disputed by city leaders, who insist that the situation, while tense, has not warranted military escalation.
This marks one of the first times in decades that a president has deployed a state’s National Guard without the consent of its governor—a dramatic assertion of executive power that may soon face its ultimate test in federal court.
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