'If Newsom can't act, federal govt will': Trump, Vance, Leavitt slam LA governor; ICE arrests spark unrest in city

Federal immigration raids in Los Angeles sparked a second day of unrest Saturday, prompting a wave of sharp political reactions as clashes between protestors and law enforcement escalated in the suburb of Paramount.

Federal agents deployed flash-bang grenades, shut down sections of a freeway, and arrested over 100 individuals, as demonstrators rallied near a Home Depot staging area used by immigration officials.US President Donald Trump authorised the deployment of 2,000 national guard troops to the area, slamming California governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass for what he called a failure to control “riots and looters.”"If Governor Gavin Newscum... and Mayor Karen Bass... can't do their jobs... then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem... the way it should be solved!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social, using a derogatory nickname for the governor.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s stance, accusing Newsom and Democrats of allowing “lawlessness to fester.” She claimed violent mobs had committed arson, attacked vehicles, and targeted federal agents.

She directly blamed California governor Gavin Newsom for failing to maintain control: “Illegal criminal aliens and violent mobs have been committing arson, throwing rocks at vehicles, and attacking federal law enforcement for days. Gavin Newsom has done nothing to stop this violence.”

Vice president JD Vance also weighed in, using the moment to renew calls for stricter border legislation. “Time to pass President Trump's beautiful bill and further secure the border,” he posted on X, denouncing protestors as “insurrectionists carrying foreign flags.”

He warned that those obstructing justice would be “aggressively prosecuted.”

Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the federal intervention as “purposefully inflammatory,” accusing the Trump administration of using the National Guard for political theater. “Don’t give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully,” he urged protestors in a social media post.

Meanwhile, FBI director Kash Patel issued a blunt warning against any violence toward law enforcement.

“Hit a cop, you’re going to jail… doesn’t matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you,” he said, promising federal backing if local police failed to act.

ICE reported 118 arrests as part of its ongoing operations, including detentions at a downtown warehouse suspected of employing workers with falsified documents. Activists accused ICE of using excessive force and spreading fear in immigrant communities.As tensions remain high in the city, the political divide over immigration enforcement and protest responses continues to deepen.