Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Governor Pritzker declared Trump's Chicago military deployment unconstitutional and illegal — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker held a press conference at the Chicago waterfront flanked by community leaders and declared Trump's planned military deployment to Chicago "unprecedented and unwarranted," "illegal," "unconstitutional," and "un-American." Pritzker characterized the action as a political power grab targeting a Democratic city and state, not a genuine public safety measure.
• Pritzker announced Illinois will pursue legal action against Trump administration — Governor Pritzker announced that the state of Illinois will challenge the Trump administration's military deployment plan in court and will deploy "every lever" at its disposal to protect Illinois residents and their constitutional rights, including potential legal action against federal officials involved in the deployment scheme.
• Illinois Governor Pritzker rejected federal military deployment — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated that the state had received no requests from the federal government for assistance and had made no requests for federal intervention. He declared there was no emergency warranting federalization of the Illinois National Guard, deployment of National Guard from other states, or active-duty military within state borders. Pritzker accused Trump of attempting to manufacture a crisis and abuse his power.
• Pentagon planned National Guard deployment to Chicago — The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has been planning for weeks a military deployment of National Guard members and possibly active-duty troops to Chicago. The president lacks authority to deploy National Guard troops without a governor's request, but Trump has justified deployments by claiming soldiers protect federal buildings and personnel—a rationale potentially applicable to any location where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents operate.

Supporting reports

• ICE detained Trump Burger founder Iyad Abuelhawa — Seventeen days after Roland Beainy, the face of the viral Trump Burger restaurant and Trump supporter, was detained by ICE for allegedly being in the country illegally, Iyad Abuelhawa—who founded the Trump Burger forerunner in 2016—was also detained by ICE and is being held in "untenable conditions," according to his attorney. Abuelhawa was arrested and is being held in a detention center in Montgomery County. ICE claimed Abuelhawa had not been in the country legally since an immigration judge ordered his deportation in September 2009.
• US Border Patrol arrests two firefighters during wildfire response in Washington state — On Wednesday, US Border Patrol agents conducted an enforcement operation at the Bear Gulch fire in Washington's Olympic National Forest, detaining two contract firefighters identified as present in the United States illegally. The agents required firefighters to show ID and prevented farewells between detained workers and colleagues. Border Patrol stated one detainee had a previous removal order. The operation also resulted in 42 others being escorted off federal lands. Senator Patty Murray condemned the action as undermining firefighting capacity during an active emergency.
• ICE agents arrested firefighters during wildfire response in Washington state — On August 28, 2025, ICE agents appeared at a wildfire in Washington state and made firefighters line up for ID checks. The agents arrested two firefighters. When a crew member asked for the chance to say goodbye, the agents responded with profanity and ordered the person to leave. One firefighter said: "You risked your life out here to save the community. This is how they treat us."

Supporting reports

• Trump administration deploys armed federal agents to Japanese American National Museum during Newsom speech — On an unspecified date in mid-August 2025, federal agents, armed and masked, were deployed across the Japanese American National Museum's National Center for the Preservation of Democracy while Governor Newsom spoke there. Newsom alleged the deployment was not coincidental and filed a freedom of information request seeking details on the Trump administration's involvement in the decision to send Border Patrol agents to that location.

Supporting reports

• Hegseth orders weapons for DC National Guard troops — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive that Joint Task Force-DC members supporting the federal crime-reduction mission in Washington DC will be deployed with service-issued weapons, reversing the Pentagon's prior statement that troops would remain unarmed. A defense official stated the order came "at the direction of the secretary of defense" and cited consistency with mission and training. The DC government had been informed of the intent to arm troops.
• Pentagon authorizes National Guard troops in Washington DC to carry firearms — The Pentagon authorized 2,000 National Guard troops deployed to Washington DC to carry service-issued firearms while supporting local law enforcement efforts to reduce crime. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the authorization, with troops assigned to crime-reduction missions carrying weapons while those assigned to city beautification roles would not. The deployment represents an escalation of military presence in the nation's capital under a law-and-order mandate.
• National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., began carrying firearms — National Guard troops deployed to Washington, D.C., under the federal takeover of the city's police began carrying firearms on the night of August 24, 2025, marking an escalation in the militarization of the nation's capital.

Supporting reports

• Trump threatens federal crackdown expansion to Chicago and New York — President Trump announced plans to expand federal crime-control operations to Chicago and New York, targeting Democratic-led cities with Black mayors. Simultaneously, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that approximately 2,000 National Guard troops already deployed and patrolling Washington DC streets under federal control be armed with service weapons, reversing earlier Pentagon assurances that troops would remain unarmed. The armed deployment represents an escalation of federal intervention into DC policing.
• Trump threatens federal intervention in Chicago — Trump threatened to take over Chicago, claiming that he would send federal forces to address crime in the city. This statement was met with criticism from local officials, who labeled it an illegal abuse of power.
• Pentagon confirms planning for national guard deployment to Chicago; Jeffries accuses Trump of manufacturing crisis — Pentagon officials confirmed to ABC News that planning is underway to send national guard troops to Chicago. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Trump of "manufacturing a crisis" to justify the deployment, stating the president was "playing games with the lives of Americans." Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called any such deployment "the most flagrant violation of our constitution in the 21st century." Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated the state had received no federal requests for assistance and that Trump was "abusing his power." The deployment would override state authority, as national guard is normally under state control and only federalized in national emergencies at a governor's request.
• Trump floats military deployment to Baltimore — Trump suggested sending military troops to Baltimore and threatened to "rethink" federal funding for bridge repair in the city, escalating rhetoric about using military force in domestic cities.
• Trump threatens to send troops to Baltimore — President Trump threatened to send troops to Baltimore after Maryland Governor Wes Moore invited him to walk through the city, which Trump interpreted as a provocation.
• Trump threatens to deploy national guard to Chicago; Illinois Democrats condemn as unconstitutional — Pentagon sources confirmed planning for national guard deployment to Chicago, though no final decision has been announced. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and state Attorney General Kwame Raoul held a news conference condemning the threat as unconstitutional and an abuse of presidential power. Trump, at an Oval Office event, referred to Chicago as a "killing field" and signed executive orders on cashless bail and flag burning. Pritzker stated neither he nor the mayor had been contacted by the White House but said they were prepared to pursue legal action to prevent deployment.
• Trump announced plan to deploy military to Chicago — Trump announced plans to deploy armed military personnel to Chicago, framing the action as a response to crime. The deployment was not coordinated with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker or Chicago's mayor, who learned of the plan through media reports rather than official communication from the White House.
• Trump threatens unilateral national guard deployment to Chicago against state objections — President Trump publicly considered deploying the national guard to Chicago without the governor's consent, citing crime concerns. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago leaders opposed the move as unnecessary overreach. Trump stated he might act unilaterally using emergency powers, framing it as a response to what he called a "killing field." Pritzker characterized the threatened action as a "dangerous power-grab" and military occupation to punish dissidents. Trump has already deployed the national guard to Los Angeles and Washington DC.

Supporting reports

• Attorney General Bondi orders DC police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — US Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order compelling the DC Metropolitan Police Department to cooperate with federal officials focused on immigration and homeless enforcement. This directive tied the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda to its crime-reduction efforts in DC, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents deployed on local patrols to detain immigrants in traffic stops. The surge in federal law enforcement has resulted in higher daily arrest numbers.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration sends National Guard to Los Angeles despite state opposition — Earlier in 2025, the Trump administration sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests despite California opposing the move. The deployment prompted a lawsuit from California. Governor Gavin Newsom sued Trump for using the military for domestic law enforcement in defiance of the Posse Comitatus Act. A judge heard the case this week.

Supporting reports

• Republican governors announced National Guard deployments to Washington, D.C. — On August 17, the Republican governors of West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio announced they would send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to support Trump's takeover of the city. The deployments will be funded by the federal government using taxpayer dollars. Analysis showed that 43 cities in the states sending troops to Washington, D.C. have higher rates of violent crime than the capital, undermining the stated rationale for the deployment.
• Republican Governors Support Troop Deployment to D.C. — On August 16, 2025, Republican governors from West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio announced plans to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to support President Trump's federal control of the city. This action is funded by federal tax dollars and reflects a broader trend of militarization in response to perceived threats.
• Mississippi Governor announced deployment of National Guard to DC — Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that he was sending Mississippi National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to join troops already deployed there from South Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia. This followed Trump's earlier invocation of the DC Home Rule Act to federalize the city's police department.
• Republican governors of Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia deployed state National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., in support of Trump's law enforcement operation. — Over the past few days, the governors of Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia committed state National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., to support Trump's law enforcement operation. This occurred despite the fact that 43 cities in those three states have higher violent crime rates than Washington, D.C. Today, the governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee also committed National Guard personnel to the operation.

Supporting reports

• Trump deploys National Guard and federal agents to Washington DC under emergency authority — President Trump deployed 800 National Guard troops and hundreds of federal agents (FBI, DEA, Border Patrol) to Washington DC in response to what he characterized as an "out of control" crime wave. Invoking a never-before-used clause in DC's governing statute, Trump also assumed direct control of the local Metropolitan Police Department and signaled intent to seek Congressional approval to extend the takeover long-term. Former Capitol Police officers injured on January 6 expressed skepticism about the deployment's effectiveness and concern it signals authoritarian escalation.

Supporting reports

• Newsom files FOIA request over border patrol agents' appearance at redistricting press briefing — California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a freedom of information request with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after armed and masked federal border patrol agents appeared at a news conference in Los Angeles where he was announcing a redistricting plan. Newsom characterized the agents' presence as intimidation of political opponents. The operation occurred at the Japanese American National Museum's National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. Newsom's request seeks all documents and records related to the operation, including communications between federal law enforcement and Fox News.

Supporting reports

• Border Patrol agents deployed to California event to intimidate state officials — More than a dozen masked and armed Border Patrol agents, some carrying rifles, were sent to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles where Governor Newsom was speaking. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino stated the agents were present to intimidate state officials, declaring "We're here making Los Angeles a safer place, since we don't have politicians who can do that. We do that ourselves." The deployment occurred during Newsom's announcement of the redistricting response.
• Border Patrol agents appeared at Newsom redistricting rally — More than a dozen masked Border Patrol agents, some carrying rifles and wearing tactical helmets, showed up outside a Los Angeles museum where California Governor Gavin Newsom was holding a rally and press conference to announce plans for congressional redistricting. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino claimed agents were conducting "roving patrols" in the area. Newsom called the move "pretty sick and pathetic," representing Trump's "authoritarian tendencies."
• Newsom files FOIA request over border patrol agents' appearance at redistricting press briefing — California Governor Gavin Newsom filed a freedom of information request with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after armed and masked federal border patrol agents appeared at a news conference in Los Angeles where he was announcing a redistricting plan. Newsom characterized the agents' presence as intimidation of political opponents. The operation occurred at the Japanese American National Museum's National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. Newsom's request seeks all documents and records related to the operation, including communications between federal law enforcement and Fox News.

Supporting reports

• Trump encourages police to use excessive force against DC residents — During a press conference on August 12, Trump encouraged DC police to adopt a "you spit and we hit" approach toward residents, stating "they can hit real hard." Trump claimed that under previous administrations, police "were told they're not allowed to do anything," but "now they are allowed to do whatever the hell they want." This rhetoric echoes Trump's 2020 Black Lives Matter response, when he called protesters "thugs" and posted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Supporting reports

• California sues Department of Justice over unauthorized National Guard and Marine deployment to Los Angeles — Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against the Department of Justice, alleging that the federal government unlawfully deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in June without authorization. The lawsuit invokes the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits federal troops from acting as law enforcement. Court testimony and documents revealed that troops accompanied ICE during arrests and that deployment documents referenced "demonstrating federal reach and presence" alongside stated missions to guard federal buildings and law enforcement officials.
• California Sues Department of Justice Over Unauthorized Troop Deployment — California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice, claiming it unlawfully deployed approximately 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles without proper authorization. The lawsuit cites the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts federal troops from acting as law enforcement officers.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders seven-day federal law enforcement crackdown in Washington DC — President Trump ordered federal law enforcement officers to conduct a seven-day sweeping operation in Washington DC streets, citing violent crime. The mobilization began Thursday night and involves US Park Police, ICE, ATF, US Marshals, Capitol Police, and Metro Transit Police working alongside local authorities under Trump's March executive order "Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force." The operation targets "high traffic tourist areas" and may be extended beyond seven days. The announcement followed an attempted carjacking involving a Trump administration figure and Trump's social media threat to "federalize" the city if local authorities failed to address crime.

Supporting reports

• Internal DHS memo outlines expanded military deployment for domestic immigration enforcement — An internal Department of Homeland Security memo circulated among top officials outlines plans to involve the Department of Defense more deeply in domestic law enforcement operations targeting immigration. The memo suggests DHS anticipates many more uses of the military in urban centers, noting that "LA-style operations may be needed 'for years to come.'" It likens transnational gangs and cartels to "Al Qaeda or ISIS cells and fighters operating freely inside America," hinting at a ramped-up militarized posture in the interior. The memo was authored by Philip Hegseth, a senior adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and DHS liaison officer to DOD. Experts warned that normalizing routine military support to law enforcement could create a domestic "Forever War" and undermine the rule of law.

Supporting reports

• Trump issues executive order declaring crime emergency in Washington DC — In August 2025, Trump issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington DC, despite the Department of Justice reporting that violent crime in the district was at a 30-year low. Within a month, more than 2,300 national guard troops from eight states and the district were deployed to patrol under the army secretary's command, with hundreds of federal agents also deployed to assist them.
• Trump administration deploys National Guard to clear Washington DC homeless camps — In August 2025, the Trump administration sent the National Guard into Washington DC, in part to clear homeless encampments as part of a broader crackdown on visible homelessness. Local reports indicate unhoused people are being moved around rather than housed, at an estimated cost of $1 million per day, with no tracking of outcomes.
• Trump declares public safety emergency in Washington DC and deploys National Guard — Trump held a press conference flanked by cabinet members to declare a "public safety emergency" in Washington DC, despite data showing violent crime in the capital was at a 30-year low. He placed DC police under temporary federal control and deployed 800 National Guard troops to the city, contradicting factual crime statistics.

Supporting reports

• Florida governor announces removals and deportations from "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility — Ron DeSantis announced at a press conference on July 25 that "hundreds" of detainees have been removed from the controversial Alligator Alcatraz detention camp in the Florida Everglades. Most were transferred to other U.S. detention facilities; approximately 100 were deported. DeSantis stated that Department of Homeland Security flights have begun and the "cadence is increasing." The facility, built in days to hold immigrants, reportedly operates under appalling conditions with overcrowding, sewage backups, and inadequate medical care. Capacity is set to expand from current levels to 4,000 people.
• Italian nationals detained in inhumane conditions at Alligator Alcatraz — Two Italian nationals, Gaetano Costa and Fernando Artese, are being held at the "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility in conditions described as "inhuman and degrading" by Italian lawmakers. Laura Boldrini of the opposition Democratic Party and Angelo Bonelli of the Green Europe party stated the two Italians had been "locked in cages, without access to a lawyer, deprived of dignity, water and decent food." The detention is sparking criticism from lawmakers in Italy calling on their government to speak out.
• DeSantis administration commits $200 million to private contractors for detention center — The DeSantis administration has committed more than $200 million to private contractors to quickly build and operate the migrant detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Florida Everglades. This represents approximately half of the detention center's estimated $450 million annual price tag. One politically connected vendor received a $78 million no-bid contract. The facility is detaining foreign nationals in conditions described as "inhuman and degrading" by Italian lawmakers.
• Detainees at Florida Everglades detention center reported torturous conditions — Detainees at the detention center in the Florida Everglades reported conditions including "torturous conditions in cage-like units full of mosquitoes," lights on at all times, lack of food and medical treatment, and unsanitary conditions. NBC News reported these conditions on July 25, 2025.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration awarded $1.26 billion detention facility contract — Bloomberg reported that the Trump administration awarded a $1.26 billion contract to build what would be the largest immigrant detention facility in the country at Fort Bliss, an Army base in Texas.
• Department of Defense awarded $1.26 billion contract for detention facility at Fort Bliss — The U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $1.26 billion contract to Acquisition Logistics to build the largest detention facility in the United States at Fort Bliss, an army base in El Paso, Texas. The facility will be designed to hold 5,000 people in tents and is expected to open in September 2027. The company awarded the contract appears not to have experience running detention centers.

Supporting reports

• ICE raids two California cannabis farms with chemical munitions deployed against protesters — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, accompanied by National Guard troops in military vehicles, conducted raids on two Glass House Farms locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties on July 10. Federal agents fired chemical munitions (smoke/tear gas) to disperse protesters gathered on roads near the farms. Video showed children fleeing, workers being detained with bound hands, and local officials including U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal being denied entry to observe the operation. At least three people were transported to hospitals. The company stated it fully complied with search warrants.
• ICE raids on cannabis farms used tear gas and less-lethal ammunition; disabled veteran U.S. citizen arrested — On July 10, 2025, ICE agents conducted raids on two licensed cannabis farms in Southern California. Agents deployed less-lethal ammunition and tear gas, injuring multiple people, one critically. Agents arrested 200 people, including George Retes, a 25-year-old disabled veteran and U.S. citizen employed as a security guard at one farm. ICE agents claimed Retes was a protester. His family reported that local sheriff and police departments stated they do not know his whereabouts.
• Detainees denied legal access and confidential attorney communication — Immigration attorneys reported being denied access to the Everglades detention facility to meet with clients and unable to have confidential phone calls with detainees. This denial of legal access prevents detainees from receiving counsel regarding their cases and violates fundamental due-process protections, particularly significant given that nearly half of ICE detainees lack criminal records.
• George Retes, U.S. Army veteran, detained and held without legal process for three days — On July 10, 2025, George Retes, a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran, was detained by federal agents while traveling to work as a security guard at a Southern California cannabis farm. Despite identifying himself as a U.S. citizen with identification in his nearby car, Retes was violently arrested, held in a jail cell for three days and nights, and denied the right to make a phone call, see an attorney, appear before a judge, or access basic hygiene after being exposed to pepper spray and tear gas.
• Farm worker dies from injuries sustained during ICE raid on California cannabis farm — Jaime Alanís, 57, a farm worker at Glass House Farms in Ventura County, California, died from catastrophic injuries after falling approximately 30 feet from a greenhouse roof during a Department of Homeland Security immigration enforcement raid on July 11, 2025. The raid resulted in the arrest of at least 200 workers suspected of being in the country without legal status. Alanís called his family saying he was hiding and fleeing agents before the fall. He sustained a broken neck, fractured skull, and severed artery. DHS stated he was not in custody when he fell, though the raid created the circumstances leading to his death.

Supporting reports

• Federal agents and California National Guard conduct militarized immigration raid on MacArthur Park, Los Angeles — On Monday morning, dozens of federal immigration officers in tactical gear and approximately 90 California National Guard troops deployed to MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, an immigrant neighborhood. Officers arrived on horseback and in armored military vehicles, including one with a mounted rifle. The operation lasted about an hour. Children at a nearby daycare were quickly ushered inside. No arrests were immediately confirmed. City leaders, including Mayor Karen Bass, denounced the operation as a "reality TV spectacle" and intimidation tactic. The raid ended after Bass spoke with a Department of Homeland Security representative.
• CBP, National Guard, and ICE conducted heavily armed raid on MacArthur Park in Los Angeles — At approximately 10:30 a.m. local time on July 7, heavily armed masked agents from Customs and Border Patrol, the National Guard, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, accompanied by armored vehicles, a helicopter, and mounted weapons, raided the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles. Fox News Channel personnel were embedded with the operation and broadcast throughout. CBP brought its own press team and photographed bystanders. After Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass arrived and spoke with Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, agents departed. No specific target or arrests were clearly documented.

Supporting reports

• ICE conducts large-scale enforcement raids across Los Angeles region, targeting immigrants with apparent racial profiling — Beginning in early June 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensified raids across Los Angeles and surrounding areas, including a high-profile July 7 operation in MacArthur Park featuring armed agents, horses, and armored vehicles. Legal complaints allege agents targeted people based on race, ethnicity, language, and location rather than individualized suspicion. By mid-July, DHS reported nearly 2,800 arrests; most arrestees had no criminal convictions. The raids have devastated immigrant communities economically, with businesses reporting 50% revenue losses, and psychologically, with widespread fear preventing residents from accessing public spaces, work, and services. On July 11, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order barring agents from using race, ethnicity, accent, or location as stop factors.
• ICE raids two California cannabis farms with chemical munitions deployed against protesters — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, accompanied by National Guard troops in military vehicles, conducted raids on two Glass House Farms locations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties on July 10. Federal agents fired chemical munitions (smoke/tear gas) to disperse protesters gathered on roads near the farms. Video showed children fleeing, workers being detained with bound hands, and local officials including U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal being denied entry to observe the operation. At least three people were transported to hospitals. The company stated it fully complied with search warrants.

Supporting reports

• Judge Breyer rules Trump's federalization of California National Guard unlawful — U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled in mid-June 2025 that Trump's order to federalize California National Guard troops without the governor's permission was unlawful and set a "dangerous precedent for future domestic military activity." The ruling temporarily blocked the federalization order, reasserting state sovereignty and constitutional limits on executive military deployment authority.
• Trump federalizes California National Guard and deploys Marines to suppress Los Angeles protests — Trump issued an order federalizing thousands of California National Guard troops and deploying Marines to Los Angeles to suppress largely peaceful protests against immigration enforcement. California sued, and U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled in mid-June that Trump unlawfully federalized the guard without the governor's permission, setting a "dangerous precedent for future domestic military activity." A three-judge appeals panel (two Trump appointees) ruled on June 19 that the federalization order could remain in place; California appealed on June 20.

Supporting reports

• Tom Homan threatens arrest of California governor and LA mayor — Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar," threatened to arrest California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass if they interfere with federal immigration enforcement sweeps. The threat was made in the context of ongoing federal immigration raids in Los Angeles and represents an explicit use of law enforcement authority to coerce state and local elected officials into compliance with federal operations.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration escalates ICE raids across Los Angeles region, causing widespread community fear and economic disruption — Over a two-week period beginning in early June 2025, the Trump administration intensified immigration enforcement operations across Los Angeles and Southern California, conducting aggressive raids at workplaces including clothing warehouses, car washes, and day-labor sites. Federal agents arrested dozens of immigrants, including multiple family members in single incidents. The raids prompted the administration to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to suppress resulting protests. Communities responded by self-isolating; businesses closed, street vendors stopped working, and residents avoided public spaces out of fear of arrest.
• National Guard deployment to suppress immigration enforcement protests — The Trump administration mobilized thousands of National Guard troops to suppress large-scale public protests against immigration raids. The deployment occurred following one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history, in which Americans protested the raids and other administration policies.

Supporting reports

• DHS Agents Assault and Handcuff Senator Alex Padilla — When California Senator Alex Padilla, senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on immigration, citizenship and border safety, attempted to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question in Los Angeles, agents from the Department of Homeland Security assaulted and handcuffed him. Padilla later wrote in a New York Times op-ed that "public safety is not the point; the spectacle is" and warned that federal deployment against the wishes of state and local officials represents "a fundamental threat to the rule of law nationwide."
• FBI agents arrest California senator Alex Padilla at DHS press conference — FBI agents under the authority of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrested and handcuffed California Senator Alex Padilla on June 23, 2025, after he interrupted Noem's news conference in Los Angeles to ask a question. Noem had just stated the federal government's goal was to "liberate the city from the socialists" when Padilla was manhandled and cuffed by agents. The incident occurred during heightened federal immigration enforcement operations in the city.