Los Angeles officials imposed a downtown curfew Tuesday as protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown entered their fifth day and tensions escalated with the deployment of National Guard troops.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed an emergency court request to halt the Guard’s support for federal immigration agents, calling the move a “military dragnet” that risked inflaming unrest in the nation’s second-largest city. Some troops have been seen standing alongside agents during arrests.
A federal judge delayed an immediate ruling, allowing operations to continue until a hearing set for Thursday.
The deployment marks a shift toward direct involvement in law enforcement functions, including detentions, as Trump pushes for tougher immigration enforcement. While the Guard can temporarily detain individuals threatening officers, formal arrests remain the responsibility of law enforcement.
Trump has activated more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines over the objections of city and state leaders. The Marines have not yet been spotted in Los Angeles, and Guard troops have had limited engagement with protesters. They were originally deployed to protect federal buildings.
