The Introspective

Mass protests erupt nationwide after ICE raids and President Trump deploys National Guard and Marines, bypassing California’s governor.

Dante Belcher

Jun 10, 2025

As anti-immigrant sentiment reaches a boiling point, mass protests have erupted in cities across the country as President Trump enters unprecedented territory by federalizing the National Guard in Los Angeles and deploying Marines to help ease tensions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced plans to sue the Trump administration, arguing that Trump’s decision to bypass state officials in deploying the National Guard is unconstitutional.

Further outrage erupted after Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet live on air, prompting widespread condemnation from press freedom and media organizations over the treatment of journalists covering the protests.

ICE Raids Spark Local Uproar

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids across the Los Angeles area on Friday, arresting more than 40 immigrants at locations including a Home Depot and a clothing manufacturer. Officials claimed the operations targeted “fictitious employee documents.”

Protesters later clashed with officers as demonstrations spread into downtown Los Angeles and the surrounding communities of Paramount and Compton. During the unrest, David Huerta—president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)—was arrested and federally charged with felony conspiracy to impede an officer. He was later released on bond.

“What happened to me is not about me. This is about something much bigger,” Huerta said in a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles.

“This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that’s happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice.”

National Guard and Marines Deployed

President Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles, following a previous report by The Introspective highlighting that this marks the first time since the 1992 L.A. riots that a president has bypassed a state governor to send troops into the city.

“Numerous incidents of violence and disorder have recently occurred and threaten to continue in response to the enforcement of federal law by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other United States government personnel who are performing federal functions and supporting the faithful execution of federal immigration laws,” Trump wrote in a memo.

“The members and units of the National Guard called into federal service shall be at least 2,000 National Guard personnel, and the duration of duty shall be for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense.”

California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, arguing that the president’s actions were unconstitutional.

“Trump and Hegseth ignored law enforcement’s expertise and guidance and trampled over our state’s—California’s—sovereignty,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

That same evening, tensions in Los Angeles escalated further when Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced that Trump was deploying an additional 2,000 National Guard troops into the city, bringing the total to 4,000.

“At the order of the president, the Department of Defense is mobilizing an additional 2,000 California National Guard to be called into federal service to support ICE and to enable federal law enforcement officers to safely conduct their duties,” Parnell wrote in a post on X.

At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that 700 Marines would be deployed to Los Angeles, signaling an unprecedented move.

“Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,” Hegseth wrote.

“We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers—even if Gavin Newsom will not.”

The U.S. Northern Command confirmed Hegseth’s statement, noting that troops with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, and the 1st Marine Division will be deployed.

“There are approximately 1,700 soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a California National Guard unit in Title 10 status, in the greater Los Angeles area,” the statement read.

In response, Gov. Newsom threatened further legal action, claiming the Trump administration had crossed a “red line.”

“The Secretary of Defense is illegally deploying them onto American streets so Trump can have a talking point at his parade this weekend,” Newsom said, referring to the president’s upcoming military parade on June 14.

“The courts and Congress must act. Checks and balances are crumbling.”

Journalists Shot by Police

Throughout the ongoing unrest in Los Angeles, journalists have been caught in the crossfire. Nick Stern—a photographer with the BBC—was struck by a less-lethal rubber bullet, requiring emergency surgery.

“There was something hard sticking out of the back of my leg, and my leg was getting wet from blood,” Stern said in a report published by the BBC.

“From the moment I was hit, I felt incredibly faint.”

He is currently recovering in a hospital in Long Beach following surgery to remove the bullet. Stern has since said he is “eager” to return to work.

“I intend, as soon as I am well enough, to get back out there,” Stern said.

“This is too important, and it needs documenting.”

At the same time, Lauren Tomasi, a journalist with Australia’s Nine Network, was shot live on air by a police officer while covering the protests. The incident was captured in a video obtained by ABC Los Angeles.

Nine Network addressed the incident in a statement, saying Tomasi was “left sore but otherwise unharmed.”

“Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet. Lauren and her camera operator are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events,” the network said.

“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the front lines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information.”

Following the two incidents, PEN America—an advocacy group for press freedom—along with 28 other media organizations, signed a letter condemning the attacks on journalists.

“We are deeply alarmed by reports that federal and local law enforcement officers used force, including rubber bullets and chemical munitions, that caused injuries to members of the press,” PEN America said in a press release.

“Journalists are fulfilling a vital public duty by documenting events and keeping the public informed. Reporting the news is not a crime, but a core function of a free and democratic society.”

Protests Spread Nationwide

Since the weekend, protests have spread across major cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Tampa, Florida, and San Francisco.

In Dallas, many protesters were pepper-sprayed despite the crowd beginning to disperse.

“An officer came up, totally out of control, and started pushing and pulled out his baton, his pepper spray,” Clarence Ford, a local pastor, told the Dallas Morning News.

“I put my hands up and said, ‘Officer, I’m not a threat.’ And he began to pepper spray.”

In the same report, Carmen Colato, an Army veteran, urged active soldiers to “obey the Constitution.”

“They’re going to be told to do certain things that they should not, but we are within our rights to disobey evil orders,” Colato said.

Colato also shared her experience working at a facility in Guantanamo Bay, where she was promised legal immigration status for her mother upon completing her service. However, her mother was denied citizenship.

“Immigrants don’t have it easy,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter what we do to try to earn our place in this country. We don’t have it easy. We are not accepted. We don’t belong. Even myself in uniform. I don’t belong. I am not the one they want to see.”