The Voice News: Law enforcement agencies have clashed with protesters in downtown Los Angeles. For the second consecutive night, a curfew has been imposed in the city amid ongoing demonstrations. Hundreds have been arrested as protests continue into their seventh day, opposing ICE raids and the deployment of military personnel in the city. According to CNN, the protests have now spread beyond Los Angeles to cities like New York, Chicago in Illinois, Austin in Texas, and Washington, D.C.
The Trump administration has deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marine soldiers to Los Angeles to safeguard federal personnel and property during the protests against so-called “illegal” immigration enforcement operations. However, demonstrations have continued unabated. Similar protests have erupted in cities such as New York, Seattle, Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, police arrested eight protesters during an anti-ICE demonstration in Seattle. In Spokane, Washington, local authorities declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew after protesters staged sit-ins against ICE operations.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment of National Guard and Marine troops without consulting local authorities, calling it “an attack on democracy.” This marks the first time since 1965 that National Guard forces have been deployed without a governor’s request. Calling the move “illegal,” Governor Newsom has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. Federal District Judge Charles Breyer has scheduled a full hearing on the matter for Thursday.
The protests erupted after the federal immigration agency (ICE) launched raids last Friday in Latino-majority neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The operation, once reported, sparked immediate public outrage and demonstrations.
Crackdowns on undocumented immigrants have been one of Donald Trump’s core campaign promises. Since beginning his second term in the White House this January, his administration has intensified actions against immigrants. As part of this effort, arrests have notably increased in Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the U.S.
Initially confined to central Los Angeles, the protests have gradually spread throughout the city and now across the entire United States.
