National Guard arrive in Los Angeles after Donald Trump orders posting to quell protests
National Guard troops fired tear gas at protesters gathered in Los Angeles on Sunday, after President Donald Trump issued an order to send troops to quell protests over immigration raids. Mr Trump said the guards were doing a 'great job'.
'These radical left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will not be tolerated,' he wrote on Truth Social. He said protesters would not be allowed to wear masks.
Street protests erupted on Friday in Los Angeles after immigration raids by federal agents. At least 44 people were detained on alleged immigration offences. Footage showed burnt vehicles and piles of rubbish in the streets, and protesters hurling fireworks at police officers.
Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the US, is home to a large immigrant community, predominantly from Mexico and other parts of Central and South America. California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Mr Trump's move, calling it 'purposefully inflammatory', and said it would only worsen tensions.
Mr Trump had signed a presidential order authorising 2,000 troops to be posted. He said he had directed his administration to take all "necessary" action to "liberate" Los Angeles.
"Order will be restored, the illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free," he wrote on Truth Social.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the guards are 'specifically trained for this type of crowd situation.'
'Governor Newsom has proven that he makes bad decisions,' Ms Noem told CBS on Sunday. 'The President knows that he makes bad decisions, and that's why the President chose the safety of this community over waiting for Governor Newsom to get some sanity.'
Mr Trump ran on a campaign promise to conduct the largest deportation campaign in the nation's history. Since taking office, he has charged US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal law enforcement agency, to detain people living in the US without documentation.
The White House recently set a goal for agents to arrest at least 3,000 migrants a day. Thousands have been swiftly deported, sometimes without due process.
The sweeping raids have also affected people with no criminal record, or who are legal residents in the country. More than 200 migrants, primarily from Venezuela, have been sent to a prison in El Salvador.
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