Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, including in LA’s fashion district and at a Home Depot, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement.

The White House announced that Trump would deploy the Guard to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” It wasn’t clear when the troops would arrive.

Governor Newsom Expresses Concerns:

How can Trump use the national guard on US soil?

The US president says he’s deploying 2,000 troops to Los Angeles amid immigration protests. Here’s what to know:

Donald Trump said on Saturday he’s deploying 2,000 California national guard troops to Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests, over the objections of the California governor, Gavin Newsom.

Here are some things to know about when and how the president can deploy troops on US soil.

The laws are a bit vague

Generally, federal military forces are not allowed to carry out civilian law enforcement duties against US citizens except in times of emergency.

An 18th-century wartime law called the Insurrection Act is the main legal mechanism a president can use to activate the military or national guard during times of rebellion or unrest. But Trump didn’t invoke the Insurrection Act on Saturday.

Instead, he relied on a similar federal law that allows the president to federalize national guard troops under certain circumstances.

It is the first time since 1965 that a president has activated a state’s National Guard force without a request from that state’s governor, according to Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, an independent law and policy organization. The last time was when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators in 1965, she said.

Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, immediately rebuked the president’s action. “That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions,” Mr. Newsom said, adding that “this is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.”

Governors almost always control the deployment of National Guard troops in their states. But the directive signed by Mr. Trump cites ”10 U.S.C. 12406,” referring to a specific provision within Title 10 of the U.S. Code on Armed Services. Part of that provision allows the federal deployment of National Guard forces if “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”

§12406. National Guard in Federal service: call
Whenever—

(1) the United States, or any of the Commonwealths or possessions, is invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation;

(2) there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States; or

(3) the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States;


the President may call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard of any State in such numbers as he considers necessary to repel the invasion, suppress the rebellion, or execute those laws. Orders for these purposes shall be issued through the governors of the States or, in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of the National Guard of the District of Columbia.

L.A. doesn’t need National Guard, says mayor

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard is “completely unnecessary,” after Trump said late Saturday that 2,000 members of the guard would be deployed.

“Our city has experienced massive civil unrest before,” she said in an interview with a Fox local affiliate, referring to riots that took place in L.A. in 1992, when more than 50 people were killed and thousands arrested.

“If you want to see it happen again, then you have an extreme presence of troops or law enforcement officers, and that is going to agitate the population. That is not going to solve the problem.”

Bass said she had spoken to the Trump administration and that L.A. was “well equipped to handle” any violence associated with protests.

“2000 officers, 2000 in our city will not be a positive thing and will not be helpful,” she added.