WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to escalating protests sparked by recent immigration raids, the White House announced late Saturday.
The move drew swift condemnation from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who described the deployment as “purposefully inflammatory,” warning it could further escalate tensions rather than restore calm. The protests erupted following federal immigration crackdowns that led to the arrest of dozens of migrants in a city with a significant Latino population.
Over the past two days, confrontations between demonstrators and immigration authorities intensified, with federal agents reportedly using flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse largely peaceful crowds.
Despite objections from state and local officials, Republican leaders rallied behind the president. House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking on ABC’s This Week, dismissed concerns about the military response. “Newsom has shown an inability or unwillingness to do what is necessary there, so the president stepped in,” Johnson said, downplaying the controversial deployment.
Johnson also defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s suggestion of potentially involving active-duty Marines, stating, “We have to be prepared to do what is necessary.”
Meanwhile, on social media, Newsom urged protesters to remain peaceful. “Federal authorities want a spectacle. Don’t give them one,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
California Congresswoman Nanette Barragán echoed the governor’s concerns, accusing the administration of targeting peaceful demonstrations. “The president is sending the National Guard because he doesn’t like the scenes. We must stand up for our people,” she told CNN.
One local protester, speaking anonymously, expressed defiance in the face of federal force: “Whether they gas us or hurt us, we will not stop. Our voice is all we have left.”
By midnight Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social, congratulating the National Guard on “a job well done,” even before their full deployment had taken place.
Legal experts noted that while National Guard deployments are allowed under certain circumstances, threats to involve active-duty military could breach legal boundaries. “The National Guard can only offer limited support,” explained law professor Jessica Levinson, citing restrictions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement absent a formal insurrection.
U.S. Resumes Visa Processing for Harvard Students After Legal Blowback
In a separate development, the U.S. State Department has reversed its decision to block visas for international students admitted to Harvard University, instructing consulates worldwide to resume processing applications.
This shift comes just days after a federal judge halted the administration’s directive to deny such visa requests. A diplomatic cable cited by The Washington Post confirmed the reversal, stating that “consular sections must resume processing of Harvard University student and exchange visitor visas.”
The Trump administration had previously issued a proclamation suspending new visas for foreign students at Harvard for a six-month period. Officials cited concerns about rising campus crime, lack of disciplinary action by the university, and potential national security risks, including unverified claims of foreign espionage and collaboration with adversarial governments.
A government statement accused Harvard of failing to adequately report illegal activities involving foreign students, receiving over $150 million in funding from China, and hosting Chinese Communist Party-linked researchers.
“Harvard has developed extensive entanglements with foreign adversaries,” the statement alleged, referencing reports of Chinese paramilitary personnel and research partnerships that could aid China’s military modernization.
Trump defended the policy in a follow-up statement: “We want to have great students here — people who love our country. But we must protect our institutions from those who mean us harm.”
The administration’s stance stirred strong reactions across the education sector, with critics arguing that the move unfairly targeted international students and threatened the global reputation of U.S. universities.
The visa controversy marks the second attempt by the Trump administration to curtail access for foreign students at Harvard, drawing rebuke from academic institutions and civil liberties groups alike.
As protests continue in Los Angeles and immigration and education policies dominate headlines, the nation finds itself grappling with deepening political divisions in the run-up to a contentious election season.
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