LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles declared a night curfew as protests over immigration arrests turned violent, prompting President Trump to label them a “foreign invasion.”
Mayor Karen Bass imposed an 8pm–6am curfew on downtown LA to curb looting and vandalism, as tensions escalated after mostly peaceful protests saw outbreaks of property damage. Over 500 arrests have been made, and dozens of businesses were looted.
Trump ordered 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the city, insisting the military presence was needed to “restore order.” The Pentagon estimates the deployment will cost $134 million.
Critics, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, called the move authoritarian. A court hearing has been scheduled to challenge the legality of Trump’s troop deployment, which legal experts say is rare and possibly unconstitutional.