The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday told California Democrats to “call off their rioting mob” in Los Angeles after violent anti-ICE agitators clashed with law enforcement over the weekend.
“The first night was bad, what we’ve seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters Sunday night. “We are overwhelmed … There is no limit to what they are doing to our officers.”
At one point Sunday, California Highway Patrol officers were trapped under an overpass, with rioters above throwing concrete and flammable materials at their vehicles, smashing in windows and setting them on fire.
McDonnell said, “The situation has become disgusting. Our officers have been targeted with Molotov cocktails.”
The chief suggested that paid left-wing agitators were brought in to escalate the anti-ICE chaos.
“When I look at the people who are out there doing the violence, that’s not the people that we [see] during the day,” he said. “These are people who are all hooded up. They’ve got a hoodie on. They’ve got face masks on. They’re people who do this all the time.”
He told reporters that the organized agitators always try to “get away with whatever they can” and then “go out there from one civil unrest situation to another, using the same or similar tactics frequently.”
“They are connected. Some would call them anarchists,” the chief explained. “They’re people that we run across routinely, city to city, and this is what they do. Many of the people who are doing this come in from other places just to hurt people and to cause havoc.”
“This is a violent insurrection,” White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller posted on X Saturday night. “Deport the invaders, or surrender to insurrection. These are the choices,” Miller added.
Vice President JD Vance also used the “I” word to describe the riots: “Insurrectionists carrying foreign flags are attacking immigration enforcement officers, while one half of America’s political leadership has decided that border enforcement is evil,” he wrote on X.
Police declared all of Downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area and arrested dozens of agitators over the weekend.
“Federal law enforcement are working to protect and safeguard American citizens from criminal illegal aliens,” DHS posted on X Monday. “Why is California’s governor siding with foreign criminals?”
President Trump ordered at least 2,000 California National Guard troops to to protect federal personnel and property from the rioters over the vocal objections of Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats. It was reportedly the first time a president has called in the National Guard without a state’s request or consent since 1965.
President Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday night: “If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, which everyone knows they can’t, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!”
Newsom threatened to sue the Trump administration over the deployment, which he and Bass have ironically called “inflammatory.”
“The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers,” Newsom posted on X. “That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions. L.A. authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Saturday that if the violence continued, he would also mobilize Marines from Camp Pendleton in San Diego.
“The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil; a dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK,” Hegseth said. “Under President Trump, violence and destruction against federal agents and federal facilities will NOT be tolerated. It’s COMMON SENSE.”
About 300 National Guard troops were on the ground in LA Monday morning and about 500 Marines were preparing to be deployed, according to CNN.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said on Sunday that the escalating violence in Los Angeles is “the natural consequence of politicians vilifying our ICE law enforcement” and that comparing ICE officers to “the Nazi Gestapo” helped ignite the riots.
“ORDER WILL BE RESTORED,” DHS posted on X. “Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump we will put the safety of American citizens FIRST not these criminal illegal aliens that sanctuary city politicians are defending.”
Homeland Security posted on X the rap sheets of some of the dangerous criminals ICE has removed from the streets of LA, even as as Democrat politicians “worked tirelessly against them.” Their offenses include 2nd degree murder, drug trafficking, theft, burglary and rape.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Jose Cristobal HERNANDEZ-Buitron, 43, a citizen of Peru. HERNANDEZ-Buitron has a criminal history that includes a conviction for Robbery that resulted in a 10 year sentence.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Chrissahdah TOOY, 48, a citizen of Indonesia. TOOY has a criminal history that includes convictions for Narcotics, Driving Under the Influence, and Illegal Entry.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Jordan Mauricio MEZA-Esquibel, 32, a citizen of Honduras. MEZA-Esquibel has a criminal history that includes arrests for Distribution of Heroin and Cocaine and Domestic Violence.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Francisco SANCHEZ-Arguello, 38, a citizen of Mexico. SANCHEZ-Arguello has a criminal history that includes arrests for Grand Theft Larceny and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Cuong Chanh PHAN, 49, a citizen of Vietnam. PHAN has a criminal history that includes a conviction for Second Degree Murder and sentenced to 15 Years to Life.
On June 7, 2025, ICE Los Angeles administratively arrested Rolando VENERACION-Enriquez, 55, a citizen of the Philippines. VENERACION-Enriquez has a criminal history that includes convictions for Theft, Assault, Burglary, and Rape.
Late Sunday night, Glendale, a city in Los Angeles County, announced that it would no longer cooperate with the agency removing these criminals from their streets.
“After careful consideration, the City of Glendale has decided to end its agreement with U.S. Homeland Security/ICE to house federal immigration detainees,” the City of Glendale posted on X. “This local decision reflects our core values: public safety, transparency, and community trust.”
About an hour later, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X: “Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one’s permission to enforce the constitution. My responsibility is to the American people, not political punch lines. LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.”
Newsom ludicrously tried to blame the organized lawlessness on President Trump.
“Donald Trump has manufactured a crisis and is inflaming conditions. If he can’t solve it, we will,” Newsome posted on X. “To the bad actors fueling Trump’s flames — California will hold you accountable.”
During an appearance on MSNBC Monday, Border Czar Tom Homan was asked to respond to the claim that calling up the National Guard has only made things worse.
“Then they should have taken action in the last two days while the city burned,” he said, blaming Newsom specifically. “I mean, he waited over two days for all of this violence to say he had an unlawful assembly.”
Homan continued: “I was there when 1,000 protesters were surrounding the Federal Building, breaching that Federal Building, putting our officers at risk. It was out of control.”
The Border Czar said he supports President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard, explaining, “if they fail to control that city and we’re there, we’re going to do everything we can to protect our buildings, protect our officers, so calling up the National Guard I think is the right thing to do.”
He added: “I was on the ground, Governor Newsom wasn’t.”
Homan over the weekend also warned that the governor and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass that they could both face federal charges for trying to thwart ICE raids throughout the city.
“I’ll say it about anybody,” Homan said “You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.”
During an appearance on NBC on Sunday, Newsom fired back: “Come after me. Arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy.”
The governor posted defiantly on X: Trump’s border czar is threatening to arrest me for speaking out. Come and get me, tough guy. I don’t give a damn. It won’t stop me from standing up for California.”
On Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social:
A once great American City, Los Angeles, has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals. Now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming and attacking our Federal Agents to try and stop our deportation operations — But these lawless riots only strengthen our resolve. I am directing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, in coordination with all other relevant Departments and Agencies, to take all such action necessary to liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots. Order will be restored, the Illegals will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be set free. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
In a separate post, the president blamed Newsom and Bass for failing to maintain order.
“Governor Gavin Newscum and “Mayor” Bass should apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots. These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists. Remember, NO MASKS!” Trump said.
After his very public falling out with Trump last week, Billionaire Elon Musk nonetheless reposted Trump’s words on X.
Vice President JD Vance also weighed in on the LA riots on X.
“This moment calls for decisive leadership. The president will not tolerate rioting and violence,” wrote Vance.
The former DOGE Chief responded to the vice president’s post with two American flag emojis.