LA Riots Erupt: National Guard Deployed!

LA Riots 2025: National Guard Deployed Amid ICE Protests

Los Angeles is burning—literally and figuratively. On June 7, 2025, protests in Paramount, California, erupted into chaos after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids detained 44 people, sparking what some call the “LA riots today.” President Donald Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, bypassing California Governor Gavin Newsom’s authority, to quell the unrest. With cars ablaze on Atlantic Boulevard and tear gas clouding the air, the city faces its most volatile moment since the 1992 Rodney King riots. Why do these Los Angeles protests matter? They’re reshaping investments, insurance markets, and public safety in California and beyond.

A City on Edge: What Sparked the LA Protests?

The fuse was lit on June 6, 2025, when ICE agents, alongside the FBI and DEA, conducted “military-style” raids across Los Angeles, targeting businesses like a Home Depot in Wetlake District and garment factories in the Fashion District. At least 44 individuals were arrested for alleged immigration violations, many without judicial warrants, according to the ACLU. Community outrage boiled over, with 1,000 protesters clashing with federal agents outside a downtown LA federal building on June 6.

By June 7, the unrest spread to Paramount, a majority-Latino suburb, and Compton, where demonstrators set cars on fire and waved Mexican and American flags. Protesters chanted, “ICE out of Paramount!” while Border Patrol agents deployed tear gas and flash-bang grenades. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids, stating, “These tactics sow terror in our communities,” while Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, accused her of siding with “rioters.”

• Key Stats:

  • 44 arrests on June 6, 2025, for immigration violations.

  • 1,000+ protesters on June 6; hundreds more on June 7.

  • 2,000 National Guard troops deployed on June 7.

  • 3 deputies injured, 2 protesters arrested for assault on June 7.

Trump’s Bold Move: National Guard and Insurrection Act

On June 7, 2025, Trump invoked Title 10 authority, federalizing the California National Guard to “address the lawlessness” in Los Angeles, a move not seen since the 1992 LA riots. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Marines at Camp Pendleton, 100 miles south, were on “high alert” for potential deployment. The White House justified the action, claiming “violent mobs” attacked ICE agents, with Trump posting on Truth Social: “If Governor Gavin Newscum and Mayor Karen Bass can’t do their jobs, the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS!!!”

Governor Newsom slammed the deployment as “purposefully inflammatory,” arguing it escalates tensions rather than resolves them. Legal experts, like UC Berkeley’s Erwin Chemerinsky, called the federalization “chilling,” warning it uses military force to suppress dissent. While Trump hasn’t explicitly invoked the Insurrection Act, his directive cites protests as a “form of rebellion,” raising fears of martial law among critics.

• Can the President Deploy the National Guard?
  Yes, under Title 10, the president can federalize state National Guard units without gubernatorial consent, as Trump did here. This bypasses Newsom’s authority, placing troops under federal command.

Paramount and Compton: Ground Zero for Unrest

Paramount, California, a working-class Latino hub, became the epicenter of the LA protests. On June 7, protesters gathered near an industrial park, clashing with Border Patrol agents in riot gear. Videos showed demonstrators kicking Border Patrol vehicles and throwing rocks, while agents fired rubber bullets and tear gas. In Compton, a car burned at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Alondra Boulevard, with fireworks lighting up the night sky.

Witnesses described a warzone-like atmosphere. “It’s like they’re hunting us,” one Paramount resident told Reuters, speaking anonymously due to fear of retaliation. The LAPD, absent from the raids, was called to disperse crowds, issuing “unlawful assembly” orders and deploying riot gear.

• Locations Hit Hard:

  • Paramount, CA: Industrial park protests, tear gas deployed.

  • Compton, CA: Car fires, fireworks, heavy police presence.

  • Downtown LA: Federal building rallies, graffiti on Metropolitan Detention Center.

ICE Raids: A New Playbook

Trump’s ICE strategy has shifted. Unlike his first term’s focus on “criminal aliens,” the 2025 raids target entire workforces—garment factories, construction sites, and retail. Connie Chung Joe of Asian Americans Advancing Justice reported agents even approached a Koreatown school, alarming parents. The raids, described as “oppressive” by advocates, detained workers without due process, fueling accusations of human rights violations.

ICE acting director Todd Lyons defended the operations, claiming protesters “surrounded and attacked” a federal building on June 6, outnumbering agents 1,000 to 1. However, Bass and immigrant rights groups argue the raids destabilize communities, driving fear and economic disruption.

• High-CPM Impact:

  • Insurance: Rising unrest could spike premiums for businesses in LA, as insurers reassess risks in riot-prone areas.

  • Investments: Local markets face volatility, with small businesses in Paramount and Compton at risk of closure.

What It Means Now

The LA riots of 2025 are more than street clashes—they’re a flashpoint for America’s immigration debate, with ripple effects across high-CPM sectors:

• Economic Fallout: Businesses in downtown LA and Paramount face property damage, disrupting supply chains. Investors are eyeing safer markets, impacting California’s $3.8 trillion economy.

• Insurance Markets: Property and liability insurance rates may surge, with insurers like Allstate and State Farm reevaluating coverage in LA County.

• Healthcare Strain: Emergency rooms in Compton and Paramount report increased injuries from tear gas and projectiles, stretching local healthcare systems.

• Technology: LA’s tech startups, already navigating high taxes, now face added instability, potentially driving firms to Austin or Miami.

• Travel Warnings: The U.S. State Department hasn’t issued alerts, but travel insurance providers are monitoring LA, affecting tourism revenue.

Chris Zepeda-Millán, a UCLA ethnic studies professor, noted, “Los Angeles is the heart of the undocumented immigrant rights movement. This response was inevitable.” The protests highlight deep divides, with Trump’s base cheering the crackdown and critics warning of authoritarian overreach.

Voices from the Ground

Verified X posts capture the raw sentiment:

• @latimes: “Los Angeles ICE raids spark protests, fear, outrage. ‘Our community is under attack’”

• @ABC7: “LAPD issues dispersal order as hundreds rally in downtown Los Angeles following ICE raids.”

• @cnnbrk: “President Trump deploys the National Guard after second day of Los Angeles immigration protests.”

Residents are torn. “We want safety, but not like this,” a Compton business owner told CBS News, requesting anonymity. Others, like a protester in Paramount, shouted through a megaphone: “You are not welcome here!”

Political Firestorm

The LA protests have ignited a war of words:

• Trump Administration: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the protests “unlawful,” framing ICE raids as “essential to halting illegal criminals.” Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, labeled the unrest an “insurrection” on X.

• California Leaders: Newsom called the National Guard deployment a “spectacle,” while Bass urged peaceful protests but condemned violence.

• FBI Director Kash Patel: Warned protesters they’d face prison for attacking agents, citing Trump’s pardon of Capitol rioters as precedent.

The clash underscores California’s sanctuary state policies versus Trump’s hardline immigration stance, with Los Angeles—a city where 30% of residents are foreign-born—caught in the crossfire.

Historical Echoes: 1992 vs. 2025

The 2025 LA riots evoke 1992, when the Rodney King verdict sparked six days of violence, killing 63 and costing $1 billion in damages. Today’s unrest, while smaller, shares roots in systemic tensions—economic inequality, racial divides, and distrust of authority. The National Guard’s deployment, last federalized in 1992, signals a rare escalation.

• 1992 vs. 2025:

  • Trigger: 1992: Police acquittal; 2025: ICE raids.

  • Scale: 1992: Citywide, 63 deaths; 2025: Localized, no fatalities reported.

  • Response: Both saw National Guard deployment, but 2025’s federalization is faster.

What’s Next for Los Angeles?

The National Guard’s presence, set for 60 days or at the Defense Secretary’s discretion, looms large. Protests show no sign of slowing, with rallies planned across downtown LA and Paramount. The LAPD, criticized for slow response times, is under pressure to maintain order without escalating violence.

For residents, the stakes are personal. “This is our home,” a Paramount protester told NBC Los Angeles. “We’re not leaving.” For businesses, the unrest threatens livelihoods, with insurance claims already piling up. Stay sharp with Ongoing Now 24 for the latest on this unfolding crisis.