Gladness Gideon
Tensions over the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown continued to mount across the United States on Thursday, as protests intensified and legal challenges loomed over the deployment of federal troops in California.
In Los Angeles, more than 1,000 demonstrators returned to the streets for a sixth consecutive day, condemning what they describe as a deliberate campaign of fear targeting undocumented migrants. The largely peaceful protest unfolded under a second night of curfew, imposed in response to sporadic incidents of looting and vandalism earlier in the week.
“Our city is not at all on fire,” said 66-year-old protester Lynn Sturgis, pushing back on President Donald Trump’s remarks that suggested Los Angeles was in chaos. “It’s not burning down, as our terrible leader is trying to tell you.”
The protests, sparked by intensified federal immigration raids, have spread nationwide. Demonstrations were recorded in cities such as St. Louis, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Manhattan, San Antonio, and Denver. In Spokane, Washington, police arrested over 30 people and deployed pepper balls to disperse crowds, prompting authorities to impose a citywide curfew.
President Trump has ordered the deployment of more than 4,700 military personnel, including 700 active-duty Marines, to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Approximately 1,000 troops are already working alongside ICE agents, according to Scott Sherman, Deputy Commanding General of Army North. The Pentagon estimates the deployment will cost taxpayers $134 million.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has strongly opposed the militarization of immigration enforcement, accusing the president of using the situation to advance political goals. “Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,” Newsom said, warning that the move sets a dangerous precedent.
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California’s legal team is set to appear in court Thursday, seeking an emergency order to block military personnel from participating in immigration arrests. The Trump administration has dismissed the lawsuit as a “crass political stunt.”
The federal response has drawn criticism from civic leaders. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids as the root cause of unrest. “A week ago, everything was peaceful,” she said. “This was provoked by the White House.”
Incidents of questionable enforcement tactics have fueled public anger. In Downey, a suburb of Los Angeles, a local pastor reported that a Spanish-speaking man was seized in a church parking lot by five armed, unidentified men in out-of-state vehicles. When she asked for identification, one pointed a rifle at her and ordered her to step back.
Despite Trump’s assertions that the protests pose a national threat, activists remain defiant. A countrywide “No Kings” demonstration is being organized for Saturday, coinciding with a military parade in Washington to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—and President Trump’s 79th birthday.
As the protests swell, so too does the divide between state and federal authorities, setting the stage for a legal and political confrontation that may shape the national immigration debate for months to come.