California sues Trump administration over National Guard deployment in Los Angeles
California sues Trump administration over National Guard deployment in Los Angeles
M.U.H
10/06/202539
California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests over immigration raids, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced.
The deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump, followed clashes in downtown Los Angeles, where police urged protesters to disperse after incidents of vandalism and looting.
On Sunday, protests in a small section of downtown Los Angeles turned violent, with demonstrators setting cars ablaze, including five Waymo self-driving vehicles, and looting stores.
Law enforcement responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Trump, accusing protesters of "insurrection," deployed National Guard troops to quell what he described as "violent, instigated riots."
He claimed the city would have been "obliterated" without federal intervention and warned that protesters disrespecting security forces would be "hit harder than ever before."
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment, accusing Trump of inflaming tensions. "This is exactly what Donald Trump wanted. He fanned the flames," Newsom said, confirming the state’s lawsuit against the federal government. Trump dismissed Newsom’s criticism, even suggesting the governor should be arrested.
The protests, sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests targeting alleged illegal migrants and gang members, have drawn mixed reactions.
Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, defended the raids, stating they focused on cartel members from Mexico and Colombia. However, many locals, including 64-year-old Deborah McCurdy, described the arrested individuals as "people earnestly trying to improve their lives" who don’t deserve to be treated as criminals.
By Monday morning, downtown Los Angeles was calm, though a heavy police presence remained. Despite isolated acts of vandalism, including obscene graffiti and smashed windows, Mayor Karen Bass emphasized that the unrest was confined to a few streets, not indicative of citywide chaos.
She criticized the immigration arrests and troop deployment as deliberate provocations, calling them "a recipe for pandemonium."
The United Nations cautioned against further militarization, a statement likely to irk the White House. Local law enforcement, taking the lead after initial federal confrontations, used "less lethal" measures to disperse crowds.
Viral footage captured a rubber bullet striking an Australian TV reporter in the leg during a live broadcast. Over two days, 56 arrests were reported in Los Angeles, with five officers sustaining minor injuries. An additional 60 arrests occurred during protests in San Francisco.
The National Guard’s deployment, the first override of a state governor’s authority since 1965, drew sharp criticism from Democrats, including Kamala Harris, who called it a "dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the violence and urged Mexicans in the US to remain peaceful and avoid provocations.
Despite the unrest, Los Angeles schools and daily life continued largely unaffected on Monday.
