As the curfew in downtown LA marks its second night, reports indicate that the immigration enforcement operation by the Donald Trump administration is expected to last at least a month.
According to local media, including the Los Angeles Times, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to continue this operation daily for at least a month.
The targeting of enforcement has expanded to include communities and workplaces. Karen Bass said on Wednesday, "The chaotic escalation of the Trump administration is reckless. When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, separating parents from children and deploying the military on our streets, it’s not about protecting anyone’s safety but rather instilling fear and panic."
As the intensity of protests increased in response to the heightened enforcement, Mayor Karen Bass announced on the 12th (local time) that a curfew has been implemented for the second night to prevent vandalism and looting.
The curfew is similarly applicable from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day.
Bass noted, "When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, separate parents from children, and deploy the military on our streets, it’s not about protecting anyone’s safety but rather instilling fear and panic. If the enforcement continues and soldiers march on our streets, the curfews will also continue."
According to city authorities, approximately 600 protesters have been arrested in LA since the weekend. Additionally, 23 stores, including Apple and Adidas, suffered significant looting damage.
The federal government has directed the L.A. National Guard to support ICE agents in immigration arrests starting today.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that criminal cases ordinarily handled by California authorities would be taken over by federal prosecutors.
Bondi warned, "Protesters who loot stores will be directly charged with robbery by federal prosecutors and could face up to 20 years in prison."
The White House argued that these measures are necessary to support overwhelmed immigration agents and maintain order.
Starting from the 6th in LA, the protests have now spread to other major cities in the U.S., including New York, Chicago, and Milwaukee. The frequency of clashes between protesters and police across the country has also increased. More than 80 protesters were arrested just the day before in New York. The federal government has warned of the potential for wider unrest.
A verbal sparring match between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom also unfolded on social media.
Trump boasted, "I stopped LA from burning to the ground."
Newsom has created a meme incorporating the voice of the antagonist Emperor Palpatine from the famous movie series Star Wars, overlaying it on Trump’s recent remarks, gaining attention on social media.