U.S. President Donald Trump is facing growing controversy over his order to deploy the National Guard in response to ongoing immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles, California. In particular, the president's mobilization of troops without the governor's consent marks the first time in 60 years, drawing heavy criticism for its hardline approach.
On the 7th (local time), according to local media such as The New York Times (NYT), President Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to LA based on Title 10, Section 12406 of the U.S. Code. This law states that "the president may call forth the National Guard to suppress insurrections or rebellion when there is a risk of insurrection or rebellion."
In this order, President Trump specified that "protests and acts of violence that obstruct immigration enforcement are considered a form of rebellion against the authority of the U.S. government."
However, this action was taken without prior consultation with the State Governments of California. Governor Gavin Newsom criticized it as "a deliberate provocation and a measure that escalates tensions," stating that "California is not experiencing a shortage of law enforcement personnel, but the president is using the National Guard for a political show."
Legal experts view this decision as an unusual and dangerous precedent. Elizabeth Goitein, a senior researcher at the Brennan Center for Justice, noted, "This is the first time since President Lyndon Johnson sent troops to Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement that the federal government has mobilized the National Guard without a governor's request."
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law, also strongly criticized the federal government's seizure of the National Guard without the state government's approval to suppress protests, calling it "shocking" and asserting that "this is an attempt to suppress domestic dissent with the military."
This situation has been triggered by the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigrants in the LA area starting from the 6th. Notably, clashes have erupted between protesters and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in areas densely populated by Hispanic immigrants, with ICE employing rubber bullets and flashbangs to suppress the protests aggressively.
LA authorities stated that while some protests have escalated, they have not requested federal troop support.
President Trump previously indicated the possibility of deploying the National Guard in response to protests related to the George Floyd incident during his first term, but it did not lead to an actual mobilization of troops at that time.
This time, the Ministry of National Defense is also taking action. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated via X (formerly Twitter) that "active-duty Marines have entered a heightened state of alert at Camp Pendleton south of LA," indicating that the deployment of regular forces may be possible if the situation deteriorates.