Federal Troops SEIZE California — Governor DEFIANT

President Trump’s 2025 deportation enforcement triggered unprecedented street riots and military deployments while Obama’s larger-scale operations went virtually unchallenged—exposing how radical left-wing activists have weaponized immigration enforcement to destabilize law and order under conservative leadership.

Story Snapshot

Trump deployed 4,700 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after June 2025 riots protesting deportations, marking the first federal National Guard takeover without state approval since 1965
Obama deported 2.7 million immigrants—more than any president—yet sparked minimal civil unrest, demonstrating organized resistance targets conservative enforcement specifically
Armed federal agents in unmarked vehicles using flash-bangs and pepper balls faced violent street confrontations as protesters blocked ICE operations across sanctuary cities
Trump invoked the 1807 Insurrection Act and labeled protesters “insurrectionists” while California Governor Newsom openly opposed federal authority, escalating constitutional tensions

Federal Response Unprecedented Since Civil Rights Era

President Trump federalized the National Guard without California’s cooperation in June 2025, deploying 2,000 troops on June 7 following violent Los Angeles riots triggered by ICE arrests. This marked the first such federal military takeover since the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. Two days later, Trump authorized an additional 2,000 National Guard members and activated 700 Marines for Orange County operations. Governor Newsom’s opposition to federal authority created a direct standoff between state and constitutional law enforcement power, demonstrating how sanctuary city policies actively obstruct legitimate immigration enforcement.

Militarized Tactics Target Sanctuary City Defiance

Federal agents deployed masked personnel in unmarked vehicles using pepper balls, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets against protesters attempting to physically block deportation operations. On June 3, FBI and DHS conducted an armed raid at a Minneapolis Mexican restaurant that immediately sparked street protests and physical altercations. Reuters documented concerns that masked ICE agents raised accountability questions, yet these tactical measures became necessary precisely because organized left-wing resistance groups mobilized to obstruct lawful federal operations. The administration’s enforcement approach reflected justified responses to coordinated interference with constitutional authority.

Obama’s Deportations Avoided Backlash Through Media Protection

The Obama administration deported approximately 2.7 million immigrants between 2009 and 2017, exceeding all previous administrations, yet generated virtually no comparable civil unrest or media outcry. The stark difference exposes how organized leftist networks and complicit media outlets selectively weaponize immigration enforcement as a political cudgel against conservative presidents. By early 2026, Trump continued expanding military involvement in immigration operations while coordinating IRS-DHS data sharing to locate deportation targets. This common-sense enforcement fulfills campaign promises to restore immigration law, yet faces orchestrated resistance that Obama’s identical actions never encountered.

Organized Extremism Fuels Sanctuary City Violence

Princeton’s Bridging Divides Initiative documented that 97 percent of immigration-related demonstrations in early 2025 supported immigrant rights, revealing coordinated left-wing mobilization against lawful enforcement. Armed paramilitaries and extremist groups doubled their immigration-related protest involvement from 7 percent in 2023 to 16 percent in 2024, creating violence risks that justify robust federal response. Trump correctly characterized protesters as “insurrectionists” given their explicit goal of obstructing federal law enforcement. The administration arrested student activists at Columbia, Georgetown, Tufts, and University of Alabama for leading campus protests, targeting organizers who coordinate resistance networks rather than peaceful demonstrators.

Constitutional Authority Challenges State Sanctuary Defiance

Los Angeles declared sanctuary city status in November 2024 anticipating Trump’s immigration crackdown, establishing deliberate local defiance of federal immigration law. Trump officials explicitly warned sanctuary cities would face targeted enforcement, delivering on constitutional obligations to uphold immigration statutes despite obstruction. The administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act to conduct deportations without standard due process, potentially defying court orders that improperly interfere with executive immigration authority. Partisan polling revealed 89 percent of Republicans support arresting immigrants at protests versus only 44 percent of Democrats, demonstrating how immigration enforcement has become a flashpoint for fundamental disagreements over rule of law.

The Economist characterized Trump’s federal response as designed to “create confrontation” and fuel cycles of protest and repression, yet this analysis ignores the administration’s legitimate mandate to enforce immigration laws against organized resistance. Trump learned from the 2020 George Floyd riots when advisers discouraged military deployment, determined not to repeat perceived weakness that emboldened lawlessness. By February 2026, deportations continued lagging arrests as the administration ramped up detention capacity while facing ongoing legal challenges from activist organizations committed to obstructing enforcement regardless of electoral mandates or constitutional authority.