Los Angeles is on edge this week after a series of immigration raids by ICE triggered widespread protests — some of which turned violent — across the city.
What started as early-morning enforcement operations in predominantly Latino neighborhoods quickly escalated into a citywide flashpoint over immigration, law enforcement, and federal overreach. With National Guard troops now on the ground and community leaders speaking out, here’s a breakdown of what’s happened and what’s at stake.
Friday, June 6 – ICE Raids Spark Citywide Outrage
The fire was lit when ICE agents served search warrants at multiple locations, including a clothing warehouse in LA’s Fashion District. As news spread, especially in areas like Westlake and Paramount, protesters took to the streets to physically block ICE from making arrests.
What followed was pure chaos: protesters hurled objects at agents, prompting officers in riot gear to respond with pepper spray and flash-bang grenades. Graffiti was sprayed across federal buildings, and tensions hit a boiling point when more than 1,000 people surrounded the downtown Federal Building, leading the LAPD to declare an “unlawful assembly.”
ICE later confirmed they arrested 121 undocumented immigrants across L.A. that day, including high-profile SEIU labor union leader David Huerta, who they claim obstructed federal officers. The union maintains he was peacefully observing.
Saturday, June 7 – Protests Continue, National Guard Called In
Rumors that day laborers were targeted in Paramount spread quickly, prompting another round of protests outside a local hardware store. Police responded by arresting 29 people, mostly for failure to disperse.
“There is no danger, there is no violence. The President of the United States hates Los Angeles because we’re a sanctuary city. He doesn’t like us, and we’re targeted” Rep. Maxine Waters speaking near deployed National Guardsmen today in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/BKkCUJhlix
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) June 8, 2025
By 6 PM, President Trump, citing unrest and “lack of local control,” deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the area without Governor Gavin Newsom’s approval. The Governor blasted the move as “illegal and immoral.”
Sunday, June 8 – National Guard Arrives, Freeway Shut Down
By sunrise, the first wave of troops had begun staging across Los Angeles, positioning themselves outside the downtown Metropolitan Detention Center, near business parks in Paramount, and around key federal buildings throughout the city.
🚨 BREAKING: A massive peaceful protest has erupted in Los Angeles, a direct act of defiance against Trump’s ICE raids.
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) June 9, 2025
No violence.
No chaos.
Just thousands standing up to federal overreach with discipline and power.
This is what resistance looks like when it’s done right.… pic.twitter.com/BIauU5pz4a
Humvees blocked the streets. Protesters waved Mexican flags and held signs denouncing ICE’s tactics.
Later that day, a major protest blocked the 101 freeway in downtown LA. In one frightening moment, a van drove into the crowd but circled without harming anyone. The driver was arrested.
LAPD made another 27 arrests by the end of the night. Police say bottles, concrete, and other items were thrown at officers. A citywide “unlawful assembly” was declared just before midnight.
What People Are Saying
Governor Newsom, civil rights leaders, and immigration advocates have all slammed the federal raids and military-style response. Activists argue the actions are ripping families apart and criminalizing entire communities, while the White House defends the operations as “necessary to uphold the law.”
“This isn’t about public safety,” one protester told local media. “This is about fear and control.”
The Bigger Picture
The protests are just the latest flashpoint in America’s ongoing immigration debate. But with high-profile arrests, military deployment, and a rising sense of unrest, Los Angeles has become the epicenter of a national conversation.
Whether this is a one-week eruption or the start of something larger, one thing is clear: tensions over immigration, identity, and enforcement in America are far from settled, and LA is feeling the heat.
