Widespread protests erupted across the United States on Wednesday in opposition to President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies, following several days of demonstrations in Los Angeles. The state of California is now preparing for a legal confrontation with the White House over the president’s deployment of military forces.
More than 1,000 demonstrators continued their sixth consecutive day of peaceful protests in Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city. The city is bracing for a second night of curfews as officials attempt to curb overnight vandalism and looting that have disrupted several neighborhoods in the sprawling 500-square-mile metropolis.
“This has been mostly peaceful,” said Lynn Sturgis, a 66-year-old retired schoolteacher participating in the protest. “Our city is not on fire, it hasn’t been burned down — despite what our terrible leaders want you to believe,” she told AFP.
Rising Tensions Over Federal Immigration Raids
The protests were triggered by a sudden nationwide intensification of immigration raids targeting undocumented migrants. While largely non-violent, some isolated incidents — such as a self-driving taxi being set ablaze and stones thrown at police — were reported, although they were not uncommon for the 8,500-member Los Angeles Police Department.
President Trump, who secured re-election last year partly by vowing to end what he calls an “invasion” of undocumented immigrants, has seized the opportunity to bolster his political base. Defying California Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections, Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard troops — a move not seen in decades by a sitting president.
“We’re going to have a safe country,” Trump told reporters en route to a theater appearance. “We’re not going to let what happened in Los Angeles happen anywhere else. If I weren’t in office, LA would be ashes.”
According to Lieutenant General Scott Sherman, deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command, about 1,000 of the 4,700 troops deployed by the president are actively guarding key facilities and working alongside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The remaining troops — including 700 active-duty Marines — are currently assembling or undergoing training in civil unrest response.
The Pentagon stated that the deployment would cost taxpayers an estimated $134 million.
Governor Newsom, a Democrat, has condemned the deployment as a politically motivated escalation. His legal team is expected in court Thursday to request a temporary restraining order that would bar military personnel from accompanying immigration officers during arrests.
Federal attorneys dismissed the request as a “crude political stunt.”
Newsom warned that the militarization of immigration enforcement could spread beyond California. “Democracy is under attack before our very eyes,” he said Tuesday. “California may be first — but it clearly won’t be the last.”
National Protests Escalate Despite Military Presence
Demonstrations have since expanded beyond California, even as Trump signaled his intent to deploy National Guard units to other Democrat-led states. Protests have been reported in cities including St. Louis, Raleigh, Manhattan, Indianapolis, and Denver.
In San Antonio, hundreds of demonstrators marched near City Hall chanting slogans, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott — a Republican — activated the state’s National Guard to patrol the area.
A nationwide protest campaign titled “Reject the King” is set to peak on Saturday during an unusually militarized parade in Washington, D.C. The event, which will include tanks and fighter jets, marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army — and coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.
Officials, Clergy Denounce Federal Tactics
The Trump administration has portrayed the protests as a threat to national security, justifying military involvement to assist immigration officials and law enforcement. However, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the turmoil was instigated by federal actions.
“A week ago, this city was calm,” Bass told reporters. “The moment the raids happened on Friday, things began to spiral — that’s where the real problem lies. This was provoked by the White House.”
Armed and masked officers continued operations on Wednesday. In Downey, a suburb of Los Angeles, a pastor reported that five armed men in out-of-state vehicles detained a Spanish-speaking man in a church parking lot. When the pastor confronted them and asked for badges and names, the men refused.
“They pointed a gun at me and said, ‘You need to step back,’” the pastor, identified only as Lopez, told KTLA.
Footage obtained by AFP appeared to show federal agents ramming a vehicle in Boyle Heights, an East LA neighborhood. A masked officer carrying a military-style weapon ordered a man out of the car as police deployed a smoke device. Witnesses said the man’s wife and child were visibly shaken.
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