On July 7, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement saying that President Donald Trump had signed a memorandum to deploy 2,000 National Guard personnel to Los Angeles to assist federal law enforcement agencies in a large-scale operation targeting illegal immigrants in Southern California. According to reports, the first batch of National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles in the early hours of July 8.
Since the morning of July 6, U.S. federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have mobilized a large number of officers to conduct enforcement actions against illegal immigrants across various locations in Los Angeles County, California. These operations have resulted in street confrontations, chaos, and clashes for two consecutive days. The confrontations are ongoing.
Jean-Pierre blamed the “incompetent Democratic leadership of California” for these violent incidents, stating that the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members aims to “address the worsening illegal activities.”
Before the White House statement was issued, Trump took to social media, stating that if California authorities could not “perform their duties,” the federal government would “intervene and resolve the issue.” California Governor Gavin Newsom quickly responded, accusing the federal government of attempting to “take control of the California National Guard,” calling the move “deliberately provocative” and claiming it would “further escalate tensions.”
Newsom stated that local authorities in California did not need federal troops to assist with law enforcement. “Los Angeles authorities can access law enforcement support at any time, and we are working closely with both county and city governments. There are no unmet law enforcement needs at this time,” he said.