Los Angeles in Chaos: ICE Protests Spiral into Riots as Trump Deploys National Guard, Marines on Standby
by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
LOS ANGELES (Worthy News) – What began as protests against recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids has devolved into days of violent riots across Los Angeles, prompting President Donald Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard troops, with U.S. Marines now placed on standby. Authorities say nearly 60 people were arrested over the weekend as downtown LA turned into a battlefield of looting, arson, and assaults on police officers.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed Sunday that anarchist elements embedded within the protests triggered much of the violence. “This violence that I’ve seen is disgusting,” McDonnell said. “Tonight, we had individuals out there shooting commercial-grade fireworks at our officers. That can kill you.” Rioters hurled cement pieces, bottles, and rocks at officers, blocked off U.S. 101, and even set self-driving Waymo vehicles ablaze. One protester reportedly threw a Molotov cocktail; another rammed a police line with a motorcycle.
The unrest, sparked by ICE raids that led to more than 100 arrests, entered its fourth consecutive day on June 9. Federal authorities and law enforcement reported coordinated attacks across Compton, Paramount, and downtown Los Angeles, with looters ransacking stores and desecrating American flags. Videos show protesters chanting “burn it down” as a flaming flag was spat on and doused with lighter fluid.
In response, President Trump activated 2,000 National Guard members, with another 2,000 authorized Monday, and 700 active-duty Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines in Twentynine Palms placed on alert by U.S. Northern Command. “The National Guard, and Marines if need be, stand with ICE,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted. Trump added on Truth Social, “Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!”
The federal deployment drew sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who accused Trump of stoking chaos for political gain. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have sued the Trump administration, claiming the federalization of the National Guard violates the Tenth Amendment. “There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos,” Bonta said in a statement.
Media Downplays Violence
While footage of burning vehicles, looted stores, and assaulted police officers has flooded social media, mainstream media outlets have been criticized for downplaying the severity of the riots. A Daily Caller News Foundation review found that CNN and MSNBC referred to the violence in Los Angeles as “peaceful” over 170 times between Friday and Monday afternoon, despite broadcast images showing fires, property destruction, and direct attacks on law enforcement.
In one particularly controversial segment, an ABC7 Los Angeles anchor remarked on-air that law enforcement should not intervene against what he described as “a bunch of people having fun watching cars burn,” warning that cracking down on the rioters could “make things worse.”
President Trump blasted such portrayals, saying during a White House roundtable, “Thank goodness we sent out some wonderful National Guard. They’ve really helped… They [LA officials] were afraid to do anything.”
The media’s framing has drawn fierce backlash from law enforcement and conservative commentators, who accuse networks of intentionally misrepresenting the riots to protect political narratives.
Organizers Under Scrutiny
Meanwhile, civic watchdogs and lawmakers are drawing attention to the protest organizers. Attorney Laura Powell, with Californians for Good Governance, accused the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) of using taxpayer funds to mobilize mass action against federal authorities. “Your tax dollars fund an organization that organizes efforts to directly interfere with the federal government’s lawful exercise of authority,” she posted, citing records showing CHIRLA received $34 million in state contracts in 2023–up from $12 million in 2022.
CHIRLA Executive Director Angelica Salas confirmed the group had received over 50 hotline calls about ICE activity prior to the demonstrations. Powell alleges that CHIRLA, along with socialist-aligned groups, helped fuel the violent escalation. Federal records confirm CHIRLA received nearly half a million dollars in Department of Homeland Security grants between 2021 and 2024. Those funds were frozen under Trump’s renewed term.
Despite mounting violence, Democratic officials, including Rep. Maxine Waters, have downplayed the severity. “There had been no violence where anybody that was protesting hit anybody,” Waters told CNN, even as police reported assaults, property damage, and attacks on officers. Law enforcement disputes the claim, stating that some protests were declared unlawful assemblies, which later extended to the entire downtown district.
ICE officials expressed frustration that much of the public outrage is misguided. “You have criminals, gang members, terrorists, child molesters… and that’s who they’re protesting for,” one ICE agent told The Post anonymously. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin added, “These rioters are fighting to keep rapists, murderers, and violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets.”
In the wake of escalating protests, Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, pledged legal support for at least 42 Mexican nationals arrested during the ICE operations, sparking international tensions.
As law enforcement continues to arrest agitators, including individuals tied to anarchist cells and radical NGOs, many Angelenos are left wondering how long the unrest will last–and whether peace can return to a city once again engulfed by ideological fire.
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