Trump Vows to “Liberate” Los Angeles, but Locals Push Back
President Donald Trump defended sending 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, stating the city would be “liberated” from what he characterized as violent unrest tied to immigration enforcement protests.
In Little Tokyo, one of the protest epicenters, residents told Reuters the military presence has aggravated tensions, not calmed them:
- Sulieti Havili, who leads a local Pokémon club, said the deployment “has only made the protesters go crazy” and failed to protect the community.
- Anthony, a nearby tea-shop employee, added that militarization was “instigating the protesters,” not pacifying them.
- Samantha Lopez, of Filipino descent, noted that otherwise peaceful demonstrations “stay peaceful until they’re confronted by officers,” and that military forces were “bad for business”.
California’s leadership has strongly opposed the deployment:
- Governor Gavin Newsom branded the move as an abuse of power and threatened legal action, saying it has “inflamed a combustible situation” and poses a threat to democracy.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused the administration of “instigating chaos,” insisting that violent clashes stem from the military escalation, not from protesters.
The White House maintains the deployment was necessary to protect federal facilities, personnel, and to counter what it described as lawless behavior directed at ICE agents. Trump has portrayed the demonstrations as attacks against national sovereignty.
As Los Angeles implements a curfew, other cities like New York, Chicago, and Atlanta are bracing for similar unrest tied to immigration enforcement. Authorities in Texas have also activated the National Guard. Debate continues over whether deploying troops in this context violates the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in civilian law enforcement
