Overview

• President Trump sent National Guard troops and 700 Marines into Los Angeles to safeguard federal buildings and ICE agents during protests over immigration raids.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass labeled the deployment illegal and sued the administration, securing a temporary restraining order that was appealed within hours.
• At a Department of Homeland Security briefing, Secretary Kristi Noem vowed to “liberate” the city and federal agents forcibly removed and handcuffed Senator Alex Padilla after he identified himself and sought to question her.
• The Padilla incident has drawn bipartisan condemnation and galvanized nationwide protests planned to coincide with President Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C.
• Legal experts and lawmakers warn that deploying military forces without state consent risks undermining democratic norms and expanding presidential authority over civil liberties.