Trump's ICE Raids Spark Chaos in Los Angeles: Mass Protests, Tear Gas, and Rubber Bullets

Strategic Insights -

Mass protests erupted in Los Angeles over the weekend as a result of ICE's military-style raids, which the Department of Homeland Security has tripled to 3,000 arrests a day. The raids, aimed at immigrants, have sparked widespread outrage and clashes between protesters and law enforcement. On Friday, ICE descended on several locations in south Los Angeles, including a clothing wholesaler, two Home Depots, and a Dale's Donut shop, using drones, tactical gear, and weapons. Protesters responded with resistance, blocking roads and setting trash and a car on fire.

The situation escalated on Saturday, with protesters converging on a Home Depot in Paramount, a working-class suburb near Compton. Police and ICE agents clashed with protesters, using flash-bang grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets. A British photojournalist was hit by a non-lethal round, and protesters set a flaming car ablaze. Despite the chaos, only 44 people were arrested by ICE over the weekend, mostly for immigration offenses.

President Trump issued a memo deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles without the request or consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Despite Trump's claims that the protests were violent and insurrectionist, the Los Angeles Police Department has acknowledged that the demonstrations were peaceful. Trump's move has been met with widespread criticism, including from Governor Newsom and Senator Kamala Harris, who have called for the National Guard to be withdrawn.

Key Takeaways:

  • ICE has tripled its quotas for immigration arrests to 3,000 a day, sparking outrage and mass protests in Los Angeles.
  • The protests, which began on Friday, continued through the weekend, with clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
  • Despite the chaos, only 44 people were arrested by ICE over the weekend, mostly for immigration offenses.
  • President Trump issued a memo deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles without the request or consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
  • The Los Angeles Police Department has acknowledged that the demonstrations were peaceful, contradicting Trump's claims.
  • Governor Newsom and Senator Kamala Harris have called for the National Guard to be withdrawn.

Statistics:

  • 3,000: The number of immigration arrests ICE has tripled to on a daily basis.
  • 44: The number of people arrested by ICE over the weekend.
  • 2,000: The number of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles.
  • 60: The minimum number of days the National Guard will be deployed in Los Angeles, according to Trump's memo.

Sources:

  • [www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/trump-ice-arrest-quota](www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/29/trump-ice-arrest-quota)
  • [www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/7/ice-launches-military-style-raids-in-los-angeles-what-we-know](www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/7/ice-launches-military-style-raids-in-los-angeles-what-we-know)
  • [www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/department-of-defense-security-for-the-protection-of-department-of-homeland-security-functions/](www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/department-of-defense-security-for-the-protection-of-department-of-homeland-security-functions/)