President Trump sends National Guard as violent anti-ICE riots erupt in Los Angeles

California Governor Gavin Newsom is firing back at President Trump's border czar Tom Homan and vows he “won't stop standing up for California.”

“Trump’s border czar is threatening to arrest me for speaking out. Come and get me, tough guy. I don't give a damn,” Newsom vowed in a post on X.

“It won’t stop me from standing up for California.”

Newsom added that Trump had overstepped his boundaries when he deployed the National Guard to help with the anti-ICE riots, claiming “local law enforcement didn't need help.”

“Let’s get this straight: 1) Local law enforcement didn’t need help. 2) Trump sent troops anyway — to manufacture chaos and violence. 3) Trump succeeded. 4) Now things are destabilized, and we need to send in more law enforcement just to clean up Trump’s mess,” Newsom wrote in a separate post on X.

Newsom arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday evening to oversee the response to the anti-ICE riots, meeting with state emergency officials.

“We’re here to keep the peace — not play into Trump’s political games,” Newsom wrote.

Retired FBI special agent Jason Pack shared an in-depth analysis with Fox News Digital about the ongoing unrest in Los Angeles County as anti-ICE riots continue to mount.

“What we’re seeing in L.A. right now is rare. While the FBI and National Guard have a long history of working together, especially through specialized units like Civil Support Teams (CST) during chemical or terror-related threats. This is fundamentally different,” Pack explained.

Pack said “the National Guard here is federalized, operating without the governor’s request, alongside federal law enforcement in a public order role, which shifts it from behind-the-scenes coordination to boots-on-the-ground enforcement.”

“And the FBI isn’t investigating in the background, they’re actively identifying people who attacked federal agents, coordinating with DHS, and protecting facilities,” Pack continued.

Pack said that the FBI and National Guard have long worked together, but emphasized that what is happening in LA now is not common.

“What we’re seeing now in Los Angeles is a different posture: it’s public, it’s federally controlled, and it’s focused on law enforcement, not disaster response. So while CST history shows the FBI and National Guard can work well together, this situation raises higher stakes,” Pack said.

“Look, no one wants to see the military in our cities — but when federal officers are assaulted, when ICE agents are hit with bricks or Molotov cocktails, that’s no longer a protest, that’s a crime scene,” Pack continued.

He added that the FBI is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do and is “identifying the violent offenders and holding them accountable.”

The Los Angeles suburb of Glendale will end its contract with the Department of Homeland Security to house federal immigration detainees, while noting it complies with California's sanctuary state law that protects illegal immigrants, the city said Sunday night.

In a news release and post on X, the city said it will end its contract with DHS and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“This decision reflects our core values: public safety, transparency, and community trust,” the city said in a statement. "This is a local decision and was not made lightly. Since 2007, the City has maintained a highly regulated, locally controlled facility that is maintained to the highest standards, extending basic dignities to those temporarily held—ensuring access to clean accommodations, on-call medical care, family visitation, and legal counsel.”

“By offering local access, detainees were given due-process proximity that is too often lacking in more remote or privately-operated detention centers,” the statement continued.

The city noted that its police department doesn't enforce immigration laws and “remains compliant” with SB 54, the state law that prohibits law enforcement agencies from cooperating with immigration authorities.

“Our focus remains in serving Glendale residents and businesses while preserving it as one of the safest cities in the nation,” the city said. “The Glendale Police Department is trusted and supported by the residents and businesses, and in turn, our officers work every day to protect and serve with professionalism and care. At this time, it is in our best interest to not allow that trust to be undermined.”

The move came amid days of unrest in and around Los Angeles as protesters took to the streets to speak out against the Trump administration's targeting of criminal illegal immigrants. 

President Donald Trump condemned the anti-ICE riots happening in Los Angeles County and called on the LAPD chief to ‘not let the thugs get away with it.'

"Jim McDonnell, the highly respected LAPD Chief, just stated that the protesters are getting very much more aggressive, and that he would 'have to reassess the situation,' as it pertains to bringing in the troops,” Trump wrote in post on Truth Social.

“He should, RIGHT NOW!!! Don’t let these thugs get away with this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

Trump denounced the riots against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that have been taking place in Los Angeles since Friday.

During a gaggle on Sunday, the president said that he will send whatever is needed to maintain law and order in California, amid recent riots over raids conducted by ICE agents.

“Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!” another post by Trump read.

The Trump administration earlier said it had taken over the California National Guard and deployed 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles.

"Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest. We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is complete!), unable to to handle the task," Trump wrote in an earlier post on Truth Social.

"These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED," he continued. "Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!"

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Sunday that the department does not coordinate with federal immigration officials but cannot prevent immigration enforcement operations.

This, as anti-ICE demonstrators continue to take to the streets in protest of deportations and raids at businesses targeting migrant workers.

"We want everybody to believe in and be able to call the LAPD in time of need," McDonnell said at a press conference.

"We don’t engage in that activity," he added, referring to immigration enforcement operations. "But again, we can’t preclude them from doing that."

McDonnell urged the people in the community "to trust the LAPD."

"We'll continue to support peaceful protests and enforce the law when criminal acts occur," he said. "The LAPD remains focused on its core mission to protect lives, safeguard constitutional rights, and serve every neighborhood in Los Angeles with integrity."

FBI Director Kash Patel on Sunday night said Los Angeles was “under siege” as some protesters continued to cause chaos and clash with authorities over the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.

Los Angeles and its surrounding communities have seen unrest over the past few days, with some participants vandalizing vehicles and buildings and assaulting police officers.

Many of the protesters have claimed that immigration raids targeting criminal illegal immigrants are unconstitutional.

“Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one’s permission to enforce the constitution," Patel wrote on X. “My responsibility is to the American people, not political punch lines. LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. ”

“I’m not asking you, I’m telling you,” he added.

Sunday saw more unrest in Los Angeles, with several law enforcement vehicles being attacked and vandalized. The Los Angeles Police Department declared an unlawful assembly for all the downtown area on Sunday night.

LAPD confirmed that at least 10 people had been arrested so far in the anti-ICE riots, and that three officers had sustained injuries during the response.

“This is very fluid and preliminary, at least ten people arrested so far,” Central Area Captain Raul Jovel shared during the news conference. “There's arrests being made as we speak.”

Jovel said they “were fortunate” that the three officers who were injured did not sustain significant injuries.

“We're making more arrests as we speak, and we're trying to get into that posture where we're able to make arrests right now. Really, our officers are really under attack here,” Jovel continued.

However, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said that those arrests will “pale in comparison to what will be made.”

“There are video accounts of what happened everywhere on social media, on individuals, cameras, iPhones. We will go after that, very aggressively, go after that available video, analyze that video and hold whoever we can accountable for the variety of different types of crimes that have been committed,” McDonnell vowed.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said claims that the department had a delayed response to a federal officer's request for assistance were "misrepresented" and "didn't happen."

"Recent public statements have misrepresented LAPD action from an incident the other night," McDonnell said at a press conference Sunday evening, as law enforcement responds to anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles. "Specifically, there was a claim that LAPD delayed responding to a federal officer's request for assistance by more than two hours. When we heard that, I think anybody who's a police officer couldn't believe it. And certainly, anyone with LAPD couldn't imagine how that would happen. Well, it didn't happen."

McDonnell said LAPD was not given advance notice that federal operations would happen in that area.

"As a result, we were not pre-positioned to respond immediately to unrest related to those actions," he said. "Once the call for assistance came in, LAPD responded within 38 minutes."

"That sounds like a long time, but I'll tell you why that is," he continued. "The response was impacted by traffic, crowds in the city, in the area with unrest occurring, hazardous conditions caused by tear gas that was previously deployed by federal agents at that location. Many of our officers, because it was put together in a mobile field force configuration without advance notice, were not equipped with gas masks. But despite these challenges, we moved in quickly and as safely as possible. At no point did LAPD ignore or intentionally delay any request for help."

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell suggested that LAPD “could've handled protests without the National Guard,” but isn't ruling out the request.

“I would have said that, ‘you know, we could handle this,” McDonnell answered during a news conference on Sunday evening.

“I believe that we would have gone through a number of steps before we'd have deployed the National Guard or requested deployment of the National Guard,” he explained.

McDonnell said that his department would have done a number of other procedures before calling in the National Guard.

“And so that didn't occur in this case because it wasn't done through the sheriff or up through the normal chain. It was done from the top down from the president directly that that happened,” McDonnell explained.

And then the National Guard was federalized. So they're working for the U.S. Army, not for the California State National Guard."

Earlier on Sunday, President Donald Trump said he denounced the riots against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that have been taking place in Los Angeles since Friday.

“I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

“Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The Los Angeles Police Department reaffirmed its pledge to protect the First Amendment right to free speech while stressing that officers "must respond firmly" to acts of vandalism or violence.

"The LAPD supports and protects the First Amendment right to free speech," Chief of Police Jim McDonnell said at a news conference in response to recent anti-ICE protests in the city. "In recent days, many protests across the city have been peaceful. And we thank the community for expressing their views and their frustration in a responsible manner."

"However, when peaceful demonstrations devolve into acts of vandalism or violence or especially violence directed at innocent people, law enforcement officers and others, we must respond firmly," he continued. "An act of violence, whether toward officers, demonstrators or the public, will be met with swift and lawful action. Our goal is to maintain order without escalating conflict and to protect everybody's right to safety."

The chief said the agitators engaging in violence are not the same people officers see during the day who are "legitimately out there exercising their First Amendment rights" in protesting ICE raids and migrant deportations.

"The agitators are people who are all hooded up. They've got a hoodie on, they've got face masks on," he said. "There are people who do this all the time, get away with whatever they can, go out there, you know, from one,, civil unrest situation to another using the same or similar tactics frequently."

"They are they are connected," McDonnell said. "Some would call them, anarchists, or by any other variety of names. But they're people that, we run across routinely, city to city. And this is what they do. So even more disgusting that many of the people who are doing this come in from other places just to hurt people and, to cause havoc in here."

During a press conference Sunday evening, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell called the anti-ICE riots happening in the city and violence against law enforcement “disgusting.”

“This violence that I've seen, it's disgusting,” McDonnell said. “It's escalated now, since the beginning of this incident. What we saw the first night was bad. What we've seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent.”

McDonnell explained that some of the individuals had even shot commercial-grade fireworks at officers that could kill someone.

“We are overwhelmed. As far as the number of people out there engaged in this type of activity, and the type of things that they're doing,” McDonnell continued.

“We've seen people with hammers…breaking the bollards behind the federal building and taking the rocks. If you will, or pieces of concrete and throwing them at officers," McDonnell described. "We've had liquid -- of who knows what, description thrown at officers. There's no limit to what they're, doing to our officers.”

McDonnell then thanked his officers and partner agencies for going out "night in and night out to take care of the community and trying to be able to put themselves between the threat and the overall community.”

Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, former acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, said President Donald Trump's move to deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom's opposition is "bad for all Americans concerned about freedom of speech and states rights."

"The President's federal deployment of the National Guard over the official wishes of a governor is bad for all Americans concerned about freedom of speech and states rights," Manner said in a statement. "The governor has the authority and ability to respond to the civil disturbances with law enforcement capabilities within his state, augmented as necessary by requesting law enforcement assistance from other governors."

"There are over a million badged and trained members of law enforcement in this country for the governor to ask for help if he needs it," he continued. "While this is presently a legal order, it tramples the governor’s rights and obligations to protect his people. This is an inappropriate use of the National Guard and is not warranted."

This comes after the Trump administration took over the National Guard from the governor and deployed 2,000 troops to Los Angeles to respond to anti-ICE protests.

Newsom has asked the administration to rescind the deployment of troops and return them to his command. He has also accused Trump of trying to "manufacture a crisis" to "justify more crackdowns, more fear, more control."

President Donald Trump said California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for an "absolutely horrible job," including in their response to the anti-ICE demonstrations in the city.

The president also alleged that the protesters were "insurrectionists," as he reiterated his call to not allow them to wear masks.

"Governor Gavin Newscum and 'Mayor' Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!"

In a separate post, he purported that the demonstrators were "paid Insurrectionists," although he did not provide any evidence to back up his claim.

The Department of Homeland Security vowed that order would be restored, as anti-ICE demonstrations continue in Los Angeles.

"ORDER WILL BE RESTORED," the agency wrote on X.

In an earlier post, the agency claimed that its officers "are just doing their jobs," amid protests against ICE raids targeting migrant workers at various businesses.

"Violence and intimidation against federal law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," the post said.

"The United States is a nation of laws, and lawbreakers will be brought to justice," it added.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, met Sunday with officials from the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, saying that they are there to "keep the peace" and not play into President Donald Trump's "political games" amid the anti-ICE protests.

The governor's comments come as the Trump administration has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles to respond to the demonstrations against ICE raids.

"Joined @LAPDHQ, @LASDHQ, and state emergency officials in LA as we respond to protests provoked by chaos from Washington," Newsom wrote on X. "We're here to keep the peace — not play into Trump's political games."

"Despite protests already being managed by @LAPDHQ, President Trump is escalating the situation by threatening to deploy roughly 500 active-duty Marines to the streets of Los Angeles," he said in an earlier post.

Newsom urged Los Angeles residents to "remain peaceful" and to not "fall into the trap that extremists are hoping for."

"Trump is trying to manufacture a crisis in LA County — deploying troops not for order, but to create chaos," Newsom also wrote on Sunday. "Don't take the bait. Never use violence or harm law enforcement."

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and California gubernatorial candidate, blasted former Vice President Kamala Harris over her claims that the Trump administration is to blame for the LA unrest.

“President Trump didn’t start these riots. He’s not out there lighting cars on fire, hurling projectiles at law enforcement or blocking freeways. This statement is an embarrassment and does nothing to diffuse the violent riots taking place across the city,” Bianco posted in a statement on X.

“The Democrats and their 'leaders' own this,” he continued.

Harris claimed that what was unfolding in Los Angeles County was a result of the Trump Administration's “cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division."

“This administration's actions are not about public safety – they're about stoking fear. Fear of a community demanding dignity and due process,” Harris stated in response to Trump deploying National Guard troops to help with the anti-ICE riots.

Bianco added a video of a scene from the riots and urged the public to not be “gaslighted."

“Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Karen Bass and the Democrats want you to think this is a “peaceful protest,” Bianco said. “Don’t let them gaslight you. This is Gavin’s Lawless California. Our state deserves better.”

Bianco said he is monitoring the situation closely and there is a “zero-tolerance policy" for any criminal activity associated with the “peaceful protests.”

“An adherence to law is an absolute requirement if we are to remain a civilized society,” Bianco said in a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.

“Any person breaking the law, encouraging or inciting this behavior, or assaulting or obstructing law enforcement will be arrested, jailed, and prosecuted.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said 500 Marines are on a "prepared to deploy" status in response to the mounting unrest in Los Angeles County.

“Approximately 500 Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms, California, are in a prepared to deploy status should they be necessary to augment and support the DoD’s protection of federal property and personnel efforts,” U.S. Northern Command said in a news release.

In addition to the marines, U.S. North Command said 2,000 California Army National Guard soldiers have been placed under federal command and control.

“Approximately 2,000 California Army National Guard soldiers have been placed under federal command and control in a Title 10 status to support the protection of federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area,” the department said.

The department added that there are currently 300 members of the California Army National Guard’s combat team deployed in several locations.

“At this time, there are approximately 300 members of the California Army National Guard’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed at the following locations in the greater Los Angeles area: Los Angeles, Paramount, and Compton, California,” the department said.

The department said more information will be provided as “units are identified and deployed.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blamed the Trump administration for the anti-ICE riots taking place in the streets, acknowledging that while she supports the right to protest, some across the city were not peaceful.

In a news conference Sunday evening, Bass said what is happening in her city was created by the Trump administration.

“People should exercise their right to protest. That’s their First Amendment right. But people should also exercise that right peacefully,” she said. “We do not want to play into the administration’s hands…what we're seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration.”

Bass said the deployment of federal troops is a dangerous escalation, and she joined Gov. Gavin Newsom by calling on President Donald Trump to rescind the order to federalize the National Guard and put it back into the hands of California officials.

But she also acknowledged that the move to deploy the National Guard was about the Trump agenda, not public safety.

 “I want the people of Los Angeles to know that we stand with all Angelenos, no matter where you were born,” she said. “The First Amendment right gives you the ability, again, to protest peacefully, but it does not give you the right to be violent, to create chaos, or to vandalize property, and that will not be tolerated.”

Bass warned that those who entertain violence or take over freeways will suffer the consequences.

Loud pops from flash bangs and tear gas could be heard as Bass continued to speak, reminding those in the room of the chaos taking place outside.

“That’s not peaceful,” she said. “It’s not peaceful for people to be on the highways. It’s not peaceful for people to throw rocks or bottles. That’s not peaceful.”

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he will “fiercely enforce” the law for anyone taking violent actions against law enforcement.

“As District Attorney of LA County, I will fiercely protect the First Amendment rights of anyone who wants to peacefully assemble and voice their positions,” Hochman shared in a statement on X.

“However, when protected speech crosses the line into illegal actions, I will equally fiercely enforce the criminal laws,” he wrote.

Hochman added that this was a “warning” as his goal is to “deter criminal conduct in the first place, thus preventing harm to as many victims as possible.”

“If you want to shoot fireworks at people, assault law enforcement officers or shopkeepers, slash tires, or vandalize public or private property, you will be arrested, prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law,” Hochman vowed.