Written by Uriel Vahdey

Trump’s new enforcement of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. was met with heavy resistance. He also increased the pressure on illegal immigrants to leave the United States through ICE raids being conducted. ICE, which stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also offered incentives to people who help locate illegal immigrants. In early June of 2025, multiple federal ICE raids were conducted in LA. These raids were mainly focused on labor sites like car washes and Home Depots, where illegal workers are often found. Fear arose in immigrant neighborhoods with streets emptying and businesses closing, reflecting restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, ICE arrested around 40 people in their raids and even used stun grenades to calm down protesters and cprevent lashes. These raids were met with massive protests in downtown. Thousands of protesters participated under banners like “No Kings” and even protested on the 101 freeway. Some protesters also burned Waymo’s as a sign of retaliation. The mayor declared a local emergency and called for an overnight curfew enforcement. Around 250 arrests took place for violations of the curfew and clashes with enforcers. As a result of civil unrest, Trump deployed thousands of National Guard and Marines to support law enforcement and protect infrastructure, as the 101 freeway was closed from demonstrations by protesters. The deployment sparked criticism as to whether the militarized presence has a positive or negative impact on communities in Los Angeles.