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Trump Pushes Maximalist Immigration Campaign in Face of LA Protests

Trump Pushes Maximalist Immigration Campaign in Face of LA Protests/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump escalated his immigration enforcement by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles, overriding state objections. Protests erupted over federal immigration raids, prompting further unrest and political backlash. Trump’s aggressive strategy signals broader national efforts to implement mass deportations.

A person displaying multiple flags walks past a burning car during protests over the Trump administration’s immigration raids in Los Angeles, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Trump Immigration Crackdown Quick Looks

  • Trump deploys National Guard to Los Angeles amid immigration protests
  • Overrides California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections—first time in 60 years
  • Federal raids spark protests in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston
  • California sues Trump administration over state sovereignty violations
  • Trump seeks billions from Congress to expand deportation efforts
  • Defense Secretary Hegseth supports troop deployment via social media
  • Protesters block freeways, torch vehicles, met with police force
  • Trump’s immigration stance part of his broader 2024 campaign strategy
  • Accusations arise of overreach and inhumane tactics from allies and critics
  • Republicans push new tax-border bill with mass deportation funding
An injured person is tended to during protests over the Trump administration’s immigration raids in Los Angeles, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Deep Look: Trump’s Immigration Push Faces Protests and Political Resistance

President Donald Trump is making good on his campaign promise to crack down on immigration with force—launching a sweeping show of executive power that is sparking political firestorms across the country. In Los Angeles, his order to deploy National Guard troops amid escalating protests over immigration raids has ignited intense backlash from state leaders and civil rights advocates.

Trump authorized the deployment over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, marking the first time in six decades that a president has overridden a state’s wishes in such a manner. The move follows widespread unrest after federal agents began immigration enforcement sweeps across the city, including in high-profile public places like Home Depot and the Fashion District.

The president defended his decision, stating that Los Angeles would have descended into chaos without federal intervention. “If we didn’t do the job, that place would be burning down,” Trump said Monday. “I feel we had no choice.”

The backlash was immediate. Protesters flooded streets in Los Angeles and cities like Chicago and Boston, denouncing what they called inhumane and heavy-handed federal immigration tactics. Demonstrators clashed with local police, blocking freeways and torching self-driving cars, while police responded with rubber bullets, tear gas, and mass arrests.

The unrest, compounded by visuals of burning vehicles and Mexican flags, played into Trump’s hands politically. His administration used those images to bolster a familiar “law-and-order” message that resonates strongly with his base.

But California officials say Trump’s tactics are not just aggressive—they’re unconstitutional. State Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the deployment tramples California’s sovereign rights. The state is pushing for an emergency restraining order to halt the military buildup, which began with 300 troops and could expand to 4,000.

“This is absolutely a crisis of Trump’s own making,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, who criticized the president for escalating tensions unnecessarily. Padilla noted that the local sheriff’s department wasn’t informed ahead of the deployment and questioned the Pentagon’s awareness of the mission’s objectives. “As far as we’re told, the Department of Defense isn’t sure what the mission is here.”

The deployment marks a significant contrast from Trump’s more cautious approach during the 2020 George Floyd protests, when he hesitated to send in troops unless requested by governors. This time, the president wasted no time flexing federal muscle.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised the largest domestic deportation effort in U.S. history, repeatedly citing President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s military-style immigration raids as inspiration. He also pledged to use federal forces broadly to carry out immigration crackdowns and enforce public order.

Current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled unambiguous support for the latest troop deployment. “The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). By Monday, approximately 700 active-duty Marines were already en route to Los Angeles to support the Guard.

Critics say the president’s aggressive approach is overkill—and deeply political. Over the weekend, Trump told Newsom in a tense phone call to get control of the protests. White House officials, speaking anonymously, said Trump watched the unrest unfold for 24 hours before pulling the trigger on the Guard deployment.

“He’s an incompetent governor,” Trump said Monday. “He’s destroying one of our great states.”

Local law enforcement leaders pushed back, insisting they had the situation under control. “Los Angeles is no stranger to demonstrations,” Sen. Padilla emphasized. “Local officials know how to handle this and have a rapport with the community.”

Even some Trump allies are uncomfortable with the scale and speed of the operation. Ileana Garcia, a Florida lawmaker who once founded Latinas for Trump, called the crackdown “unacceptable and inhumane.” She warned that the administration was targeting immigrants who were law-abiding and seeking asylum protections.

“I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens,” Garcia said, “but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people … all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal.”

Looking ahead, the Trump administration’s efforts in Los Angeles could be a harbinger of things to come. Republican lawmakers are advancing a sweeping tax and border package that would fund the hiring of thousands of ICE and Border Patrol officers. The legislation aims to remove one million undocumented immigrants each year and expand detention capacity to 100,000 people.

As Congress debates the bill and protests rage on, Trump’s immigration crackdown is quickly becoming one of the most consequential flashpoints of his presidency—again testing the boundaries of executive power and national unity.


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