LOS ANGELES, June 8 – Former US President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to ongoing protests against immigration enforcement actions. Trump accused local officials of failing to contain the unrest and vowed that the federal government would “solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”The decision has drawn sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the move “purposefully inflammatory” and warned it would escalate tensions rather than calm them. “This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust,” Newsom said in a statement.Despite warnings from police, protesters continued to gather late Saturday in downtown Los Angeles. At midnight, LAPD’s Central Division announced via X (formerly Twitter) that several people had re-entered an area designated as an “Unlawful Assembly” near an immigration detention center on Alameda Street and had been detained. Those individuals, police confirmed, would be “arrested and booked.”Footage from CNN affiliate KABC showed officers forming a skirmish line near the Metropolitan Detention Center to push protesters back. Demonstrators were also seen targeting patrol vehicles with hard objects near the intersection of First and Alameda streets.Train service in the area was suspended around 11:30 p.m. due to protest activity on the tracks. LAPD said officers were responding to incidents near the Little Tokyo Train Station.Protests Sparked by Immigration RaidsThe protests erupted Friday following immigration raids that saw dozens of individuals detained across Los Angeles. Demonstrators gathered near federal buildings in the city and were met with tear gas and flashbangs as police attempted to disperse crowds.Trump has seized on the unrest to attack Democratic leadership in California. In a social media post, Governor Newsom accused the Trump administration of manufacturing chaos as a pretext to intensify federal crackdowns. “Law enforcement had no unmet need,” he said. “This is about creating a spectacle.”His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, also condemned the move, writing: “Weaponizing protest to justify federal crackdowns is a dangerous precedent.”Other leaders echoed the concerns. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs described the deployment as “an unnecessary escalation,” adding: “No one wants their community to become militarized… it erodes public trust. President Trump, don’t do this.”Senator Alex Padilla called the move “completely inappropriate and misguided,” accusing Trump of “sowing more chaos and division.”Legal Concerns Over Federal AuthorityTypically, National Guard troops are deployed by state governors. However, Trump invoked a legal provision to federalise the Guard, placing it under direct federal control. Governor Newsom’s office confirmed to the Associated Press that Trump had bypassed state approval.The law permits such federalisation only in limited circumstances, such as invasion, rebellion, or when federal laws cannot be enforced by regular forces. It remains unclear whether Trump’s deployment meets the legal threshold, setting the stage for potential legal challenges.