By: Russ Spencer

As chaos engulfed parts of Los Angeles for a second consecutive day, federal officials confirmed Saturday that the California National Guard would be mobilized to respond to intensifying protests over immigration raids. The disorder, sparked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city, has seen clashes between protesters and federal agents, widespread property damage, and escalating accusations between state and federal leaders, The New York Post reported.

The unrest, which began Friday following ICE raids in L.A.’s Fashion District, exploded into violent confrontations in Paramount, California, on Saturday. Protesters gathered near a Home Depot store, hurling rocks, setting fires, blocking buses, and reportedly injuring federal agents. Images and video obtained by The New York Post show demonstrators throwing projectiles at Border Patrol trucks, breaking windshields, and setting an American flag ablaze.

In one striking video clip, an ICE agent was seen bleeding after rocks shattered a vehicle window. According to the information provided in The New York Post report, multiple protesters were arrested for assaulting federal officers. Federal agents in riot gear responded with flash-bang grenades and tear gas in an attempt to clear the area.

In a statement to The New York Post, Acting ICE Director Tom Homan declared, “We’re going to bring the National Guard in tonight. We’re going to continue doing our job. We’re going to push back on these people and we’re going to enforce the law.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth further inflamed tensions when he posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Department of Defense was not only activating 2,000 California National Guard soldiers but also preparing to deploy active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton should the situation deteriorate further. “They are on high alert,” Hegseth wrote.

The Trump administration has placed blame squarely on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom for the breakdown in law and order. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the LAPD took over two hours to respond to calls for backup on Friday during the initial confrontations.

“The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable, and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement shared by The New York Post.

She further stated that there has been a 413% increase in assaults on ICE agents since President Trump took office in January, attributing the rise to rhetoric that “demonizes ICE officers” and emboldens violence.

President Trump, never one to remain silent, issued a scathing rebuke on Truth Social: “If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”

According to the report in The New York Post, downtown Los Angeles and its suburbs bore the brunt of the demonstrations, with Compton serving as another flashpoint. Protesters reportedly set a car on fire while others brandished Mexican flags and circled the flames on motorcycles. In another incident, demonstrators stood in front of a federal bus in an attempt to prevent deportation proceedings.

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, confirmed that “over one dozen agitators” had been arrested on Saturday for interfering with federal enforcement actions. ICE also confirmed multiple arrests for assault on officers.

Meanwhile, images released by DHS showed widespread graffiti and signs promoting extremist ideologies. One flyer obtained by The New York Post from the group RefuseFascism.org stated: “The Trump Fascist Regime MUST GO NOW!!!” Slogans like “F–K ICE” and “KILL ICE” were spray-painted across city infrastructure.

Governor Newsom accused the federal government of manufacturing a crisis, saying in a post on X: “The federal government is sowing chaos so they can have an excuse to escalate.”

Former New York Governor and current mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo offered a different perspective. In a statement Saturday, Cuomo called the ICE raids a “deeply troubling escalation” that undermines “community trust and the principles of due process.” He criticized the use of “military-style raids” and “flash-bang grenades” as acts of “cruelty and unnecessary fear-mongering.”

Cuomo’s remarks were published by The New York Post alongside growing criticism of ICE’s tactics from advocacy groups, including the ACLU of Southern California, which said the federal crackdown was designed to instill fear rather than ensure security.

Vice President J.D. Vance weighed in from Washington, describing the protests as an “insurrection.” In a post on X, he condemned the “insurrectionists carrying foreign flags [who] are attacking immigration enforcement officers.”

As of Sunday morning, the California National Guard remained on standby, and DHS has warned that federal law enforcement operations will continue across the state. Meanwhile, Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom have yet to address whether they will request additional support or resist further federal intervention.

The situation remains tense, with law enforcement bracing for another night of potential confrontation. As The New York Post report emphasized, what began as an immigration enforcement operation has spiraled into a flashpoint for national debate — one where the lines between federal authority, state sovereignty, and civil unrest continue to blur.