What to Know
- Vice President Vance arrived in Los Angeles Friday afternoon to meet with federal law enforcement authorities.
- The visit comes a day after a three-judge panel issued a decision that, for now, allowed President Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles
- Immigration enforcement operations reported around Southern California sparked days of protests this month in Los Angeles and other communities.
- On Thursday, more immigration enforcement operations were reported in the LA area, including outside a Hollywood Home Depot.
- The presence of U.S. Border Patrol agents outside a Dodger Stadium gate drew a small crowd of protesters Thursday on a road leading to the hilltop stadium.
Vice President JD Vance doubled down Friday on the need to federalize U.S. troops in Los Angeles after he met with federal law enforcement at the epicenter of the White House‘s recent immigration enforcement actions.
Speaking at the Westwood federal building, the vice president also slammed Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, claiming their decisions and policies are “endangering” federal officials.
“I heard from everybody, unfortunately, the soldiers and Marines are still very much a necessary part of what’s going on here because they are worried that (protests) are going to flare back up,” the vice president said, adding the “rioting” has calmed down.
While reiterating that the Trump administration activated U.S. troops to protect the city, Vance insisted the federal agents and military members in LA had a “morale problem” because they felt unwelcome to do the job in the city.
“When (a) border patrol agent goes out to do their job, they said, within 15 minutes of them trying to do their job, they have protesters, sometimes violent protesters, who are in their face, obstructing them, preventing them from doing their job and endangering their lives,” Vance said. “These people have been egged on by local officials, Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass.”
Earlier in a statement, the White House said Vance would tour a multi-agency federal joint operations center and a federal mobile command center.
The visit comes about a week after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Los Angeles, where she spoke at the federal building in Westwood and vowed to “liberate the city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into the city.”
While alluding to the altercation that took place with Sen. Alex Padilla during Noem’s news conference last week, Vance accused the Democratic leadership of engaging in “pure political theater.”
“I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question,” Vance said, calling Senator Alex Padilla “Jose.”
The visit followed a three-judge panel issued a decision Thursday that, for now, allows President Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids. The decision halts a lower court judge’s order that found the administration acted illegally when it activated the National Guard over opposition from Gov. Newsom.
A statement from governor’s office indicated Vance’s visit Friday will likely not include a meeting with Newsom.
“The Governor would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Vice President in service to Californians,” said Newsom’s deputy director of communications Brandon Richards. “We’re always open to working together — which makes it all the more disappointing that the White House chose not to engage with us directly ahead of the visit. We’ve yet to receive any official notice of the Vice President’s trip — which, from what we understand, is focused on a high-dollar fundraiser.”
The governor typically activates the National Guard at the request of local authorities, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel, comprised of two Trump appointees and one Biden appointee, unanimously concluded it was likely Trump lawfully exercised his authority in federalizing command of the Guard.
Hey @JDVance — nice of you to finally make it out to California.
Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face?
Let’s debate. Time and place?
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 20, 2025
The panel said president don’t have unfettered power to command a state National Guard, but agreed the administration presented enough evidence to defend its rationale for doing so, citing violent acts by protesters. The ruling means control of the California National Guard will stay under federal command as the lawsuit filed earlier by California continues to unfold.
The troops were activated after unrest over immigration enforcement activity and a protest in the southern LA County community of Paramount that turned violent June 7. Guard members arrived the next morning and have primarily been stationed outside federal property, like the federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles, with local law enforcement responding to unrest in the area that led to hundreds of arrests.
A limited weeklong curfew declared for part of downtown Los Angeles was lifted earlier this week after arrests declined. The protests, which have decreased, over immigration raids have largely been peaceful with most arrests for unlawful assembly and curfew violations. There also were arrests for assaults on police officers, vandalism and looting.
The immigration enforcement operations are part of President Trump’s mass deportation plan, a central focus of his campaign. The administration has highlighted arrests involving undocumented individuals with violent crime convictions. Those who have been caught up in the nationwide raids include asylum seekers, people who overstayed their visas and migrants awaiting their day in immigration court.
President Trump said Sunday in a social media post that he has directed federal immigration authorities to expand operations in Los Angeles and other cities.
On Thursday, more immigration enforcement operations were reported in the LA area, including outside a Hollywood Home Depot, where federal agents detained several people. Federal agents also conducted an operation in San Fernando at a Home Depot on Foothill Boulevard, city officials said.
The presence of U.S. Border Patrol agents outside a Dodger Stadium gate drew a small crowd of protesters Thursday on a road leading to the hilltop stadium.
On Wednesday, at least six people were detained in an immigration enforcement operation in Pasadena at a bus stop.
“DHS and its components continue to enforce the law every day in greater Los Angeles and throughout the country even in the face of danger,” said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Under the Trump Administration, 75% of illegal aliens arrested by ICE are either convicted criminals or pending charges against them.
“During today’s operations, an individual rammed his vehicle into law enforcement vehicle. CBP Agents were also assaulted during the operation and verbally harassed CBP agents. Despite this, CBP arrested 30 illegal aliens in Hollywood, California, and 9 illegal aliens in San Fernando and Pacoima, California.
“Law enforcement is now facing a 500% increase in assaults while carrying out enforcement operations. Secretary Noem’s message to the rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. CBP and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
California is home to 10.6 million immigrants, more than any other state, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The Pew Research Center estimates that 1.8 million immigrants in California were undocumented in 2022, a figure that dropped from 2.8 million in 2007.
Most of the state’s immigrant population is in large coastal counties, like Los Angeles County, where about 3.5 million people — or about 35 percent of the county’s population — are immigrants, according to the 2024 State of Immigrants in Los Angeles County report from the USC Dornsife research institute. There are about 809,000 undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County, which has a population of 9.6 million, according to the report.
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Source: NBC Bay Area
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