Tensions flared in Los Angeles County over the weekend as federal officers conducted raids targeting undocumented immigrants.The actions sparked widespread protests and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.

The series of events began Friday and Saturday with federal officers conducting operations across Los Angeles County. One significant raid occurred at Ambiance Apparel in the fashion district. In Paramount,southeast L.A.,a confrontation involving tear gas and flash-bang grenades unfolded between protesters and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. According to reports, some immigrants who had scheduled check-in appointments at the federal courthouse in Little Tokyo were detained and transported to undisclosed locations.

These events followed confirmation from Homeland Security that a nine-year-old elementary-school student from Torrance, previously detained after a hearing in May and moved to a Texas prison, would be deported. While these actions align with President Trump’s pledge to increase deportations, critics argue the tactics employed are overly aggressive.Oscar Zarate, of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, described the tactics as “lawless, just not normal,” citing instances of lawyers being denied access to detainees and individuals being targeted based on racial profiling. He stated, “There are rules of engagement that are not being followed. It’s incredibly dangerous, not just for immigrants but for citizens.”

Los Angeles, a sanctuary city within a sanctuary state, has a large immigrant population, with a third of residents born outside the U.S. and over half speaking a language other than English at home. News of the detentions, which immigrant advocates have called “kidnappings” or “abductions” or “disappearances,” quickly spread via text messages and social media, prompting thousands to protest the increased federal presence. Demonstrators marched, chanted, and physically obstructed vehicles and officers. Some protesters set fires, threw rocks, and sprayed graffiti, including slogans like “Fuck ICE” and “Can’t Stop da Raza!” Law enforcement responded with drones, batons, tear gas, and rubber bullets. David Huerta, the president of the California branch of the Service Employees international Union, was arrested at Ambiance Apparel. A delegation of elected officials and immigration advocates was also blocked from accessing detainees at the courthouse.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights reported that approximately two hundred immigrants were apprehended over two days. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed 118 arrests.In response to the protests, Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced the deployment of two thousand members of the California National Guard to address what Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, termed a “violent insurrection.” Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles’s mayor, Karen Bass, opposed the deployment, asserting local authorities could manage the situation. Nevertheless, three hundred National Guard members were deployed by Sunday, coinciding with multiple marches and rallies across the county.

National Guard Presence and Continued Protests

On Sunday afternoon, twenty National Guard members, armed and equipped with tactical vehicles, were stationed outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. The deployment appeared to escalate tensions rather than de-escalate them. Hundreds of activists gathered, calling for an end to the raids and deportations. The protesters, representing diverse backgrounds, displayed Pride rainbows, kaffiyehs, and Mexican and Salvadoran flags. (Miller commented on X: “Foreign flags flying in American cities to defend the invasion.”) Inmates inside the jail signaled their support by flashing the lights in their cells.

“There are rules of engagement that are not being followed. It’s incredibly dangerous, not just for immigrants but for citizens.”

Xiomara,a social worker who feared using her real name,and her partner,both native Angelenos from immigrant families,held signs with messages such as “What if it was your family? you don’t need to be undocumented to stand w/ us” and “BASTA CON LA MIGRA! STOP DEPORTATION.” Xiomara noted that many former Trump voters now regretted their decision.She stated, “The Governance originally said that deportations were to remove peopel with a violent criminal history. That’s not what we’ve been seeing. We’ve seen them target kids and people in manual-labor jobs. We’re ripping families apart.” Homeland Security has claimed that some of those arrested are “gang members” and “murderers”-“the worst of the worst.”

Despite the National guard’s presence, the Los Angeles police Department took the lead in managing the protests. Over a hundred L.A.P.D. officers in riot gear formed cordons, deployed tear gas, and issued conflicting instructions to protesters. Witnesses reported instances of officers using batons to push protesters. One officer responded to a journalist identifying themselves as press by saying, “I don’t care.” Helicopters and surveillance drones monitored the scene. The police presence included cars, S.U.V.s,trucks,motorcycles,and horses.

As evening approached, the situation intensified. A helicopter broadcast a warning, threatening arrest and “serious bodily injury” if the area was not cleared within one minute. Protesters responded by throwing stones and water bottles at police vehicles and onto the 101 Freeway, disrupting traffic. Some individuals set driverless Waymo cars on fire. Officers fired rubber bullets and contained the protesters near City hall. Xiomara reported seeing officers on horseback “trampling over people.” aimee Zavala, a twenty-nine-year-old protester, felt the police response was excessive, stating, “People are going to be passionate, but I didn’t see any protesters with any weapons. I didn’t see anybody causing physical harm.” A volunteer medic treated three young men with bloody wounds. The L.A.P.D.arrested ten protesters, bringing the weekend total to thirty-nine, and declared downtown “an UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY” on X.

The demonstrations reflected broader anger at the Administration’s immigration policies.The events in Los Angeles followed similar raids in New York City after Trump’s Inauguration, where Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, participated in videotaped operations. While L.A.P.D.chief Jim McDonnell and L.A. County sheriff Robert Luna stated their departments are not directly involved in civil immigration enforcement, Anthony Bryson, an activist with SoCal Uprising, argued that assisting with traffic control constitutes indirect support. Bryson concluded, “The police were there instigating, creating a militarized boundary. The belief that Los Angeles is a sanctuary city is a myth.”