National Guard faces off with protesters hours after arriving in Los Angeles on Trump’s orders

Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands protested President Donald Trump's deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to quell demonstrations against ICE. Protesters blocked a major freeway, set self-driving cars on fire, and clashed with law enforcement, who used tear gas and rubber bullets. The National Guard was deployed to protect federal facilities, including a detention center, marking a significant escalation as it was activated without the governor's request. Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass criticized the deployment, calling it a provocation and a breach of state sovereignty. The protests followed days of demonstrations against immigration crackdowns, with federal agents arresting over 100 immigrants in the LA area. Trump stated there were violent people in Los Angeles and vowed to maintain "strong law and order," authorizing the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members. The White House defended the action, calling Newsom's claims a "bald-faced lie." Former Vice President Kamala Harris also condemned the immigration arrests and Guard deployment as a "cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division."