LOS ANGELES: A fresh wave of public anger over immigration raids and federal overreach has triggered an LA protest curfew, enforced in parts of downtown from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., city officials said on Tuesday.
Mayor Karen Bass imposed the curfew following nights of unrest, vandalism, and looting. She clarified that the curfew only applies to the affected downtown zones and does not restrict residents or people working in the area.
The unrest erupted after President Donald Trump authorised immigration raids and controversially deployed more than 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles—without state consent. Bass criticised the decision, saying, “People have asked me what the Marines are going to do here. That’s a good question—I have no idea.”
Trump defended the military action, claiming it was needed to “liberate Los Angeles” from what he called an “assault on peace and public order.” He also invoked the rarely used Insurrection Act to justify the move.
California Governor Gavin Newsom accused the president of ignoring state authority. “This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed,” Newsom said. The governor also warned of legal action against Trump.
The LA protest curfew follows days of immigration enforcement operations, including raids on undocumented workers at a Home Depot parking lot and a clothing factory. Bass argued these raids were the root cause of the protests, saying the federal government should stop escalating the situation.
She added the LAPD needs help — “but not from the Trump administration.”
As federal and state authorities clash, the LA protest curfew has become a symbol of a deeper conflict over immigration, law enforcement, and who holds real control in America’s second-largest city.
