President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles Saturday as riots over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids rock the city.
The riots began after ICE raided a Home Depot in Los Angeles County, Fox News reported. The White House condemned the rioting in a statement issued Saturday night.
“In recent days, violent mobs have attacked ICE Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Agents carrying out basic deportation operations in Los Angeles, California. These operations are essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the statement. “In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens. That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester. The Trump Administration has a zero tolerance policy for criminal behavior and violence, especially when that violence is aimed at law enforcement officers trying to do their jobs. These criminals will be arrested and swiftly brought to justice. The Commander-in-Chief will ensure the laws of the United States are executed fully and completely.”
Border czar Tom Homan defended ICE during an interview on “The Big Weekend Show.”
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The Department of Homeland Security condemned the riots in a statement posted on its website.
“The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end. The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens,” Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement.
“Make no mistake, Democrat politicians like Hakeem Jeffries, Mayor Wu of Boston, Tim Walz, and Mayor Bass of Los Angeles are contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE,” McLaughlin continued. “From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end.”
Trump warned Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California to act against the rioting or the federal government would address it.
“If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Democratic Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles had criticized ICE operations in Los Angeles with a statement posted to X Friday.
“This morning, we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles,” Bass said in the post. “As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My Office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this.”
Hit a cop, you’re going to jail… doesn’t matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won’t back our men and women on the thin blue line, we @FBI will.
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) June 8, 2025
Newsom decried the deployment of the National Guard in a post on X.
“The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” Newsom said. “LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need. The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery. This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”
Insurrectionists carrying foreign flags are attacking immigration enforcement officers, while one half of America’s political leadership has decided that border enforcement is evil.
Time to pass President Trump’s beautiful bill and further secure the border.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 8, 2025
Upon taking office on Jan. 20, Trump issued several executive orders to address illegal immigration, including designating Mexican drug cartels, the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and the El Salvadoran prison gang MS-13 as foreign terrorist organizations.
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