Rep. Maxine Waters confronted armed National Guard troops deployed by President Trump during violent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, demanding to know “Who are you going to shoot?” as she attempted to shield protesters from law enforcement.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to address violent demonstrations against ICE raids on illegal migrants, the first such deployment since 1965.
- Rep. Maxine Waters directly confronted ICE agents and National Guard troops, challenging their presence and questioning their use of weapons.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom called the deployment “an alarming abuse of power” and demanded the Trump administration rescind the order.
- Violent protests included a demonstrator jumping off a burning Waymo taxi, Molotov cocktail attacks, and 27 arrests as the LAPD declared downtown LA an unlawful assembly.
- The standoff represents escalating tensions between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and California’s sanctuary status.
Waters Challenges Armed Federal Forces
Representative Maxine Waters placed herself at the center of escalating tensions in Los Angeles, directly confronting National Guard troops and ICE agents during protests against immigration raids. Video footage captured Waters approaching armed federal personnel, boldly asking, “You going to shoot an elected official? If you shoot me, you better shoot straight,” as reported by The Daily Wire. Her deliberate stand against armed federal forces highlighted the growing conflict between federal immigration enforcement and local resistance in the sanctuary city of Los Angeles.
Waters also attempted to enter the Los Angeles Federal Building to check on the welfare of SEIU President David Huerta, who had been detained during the protests. Upon arriving at the facility, she was promptly denied entry by a guard who stated, “The lobby is secured to all visitors,” according to Daily Wire reporting. The congresswoman’s actions demonstrate her direct involvement in defending protesters against what many Democrats consider overreaching federal enforcement tactics in communities with large immigrant populations.
Trump Administration’s Immigration Crackdown Sparks Violence
President Trump’s deployment of nearly 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles marked a significant escalation in federal immigration enforcement. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Department of Homeland Security claimed the raids targeted the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” However, the operation sparked widespread protests that quickly turned violent. A demonstrator was filmed jumping from a burning Waymo taxi near the Metropolitan Detention Center, while others reportedly threw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement and one individual allegedly drove a motorcycle directly into police lines.
“The Trump administration is committed to restoring the California Dream,” stated White House spokesperson Kush Desai, defending the administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement in California.
The LAPD eventually declared downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly following scattered violence, resulting in 27 arrests. One suspect accused of assaulting a federal officer has been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list with a $50,000 reward offered for information leading to his arrest. These incidents underscore the volatile nature of the confrontation between federal immigration policies and local resistance.
State Officials Condemn Federal Intervention
California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a firm stance against the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops, describing it as “an alarming abuse of power” and demanding the withdrawal of federal forces. The governor further accused President Trump of deploying troops “not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis,” according to the Los Angeles Times. This represents the latest conflict in the ongoing tension between California’s progressive immigration policies and the Trump administration’s enforcement priorities.
“Inciting and provoking violence, creating mass chaos and militarizing cities,” is how Governor Gavin Newsom characterized the Trump administration’s actions in Los Angeles.
The confrontation has escalated to include financial threats, with reports suggesting the Trump administration may cut federal grants to California universities. In response, Governor Newsom has proposed withholding $80 billion in taxes from the federal government. Other Democratic governors have joined Newsom in condemning the deployment as undermining public trust and breaching state sovereignty, creating a coalition of opposition to the President’s immigration enforcement tactics.
