National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles after violent protests against immigration authorities

The first wave of National Guard troops arrived early Sunday in Los Angeles, hours after President Trump deployed the soldiers in response to riots breaking out over federal immigration raids in the city.

National Guard troops were spotted packing riot shields into transport vehicles by the Hall of Justice downtown, according to footage taken by KABC-TV.

A protest was scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday outside City Hall.

Troops were also sent to Paramount, the city just south of Los Angeles, where authorities clashed Saturday with protesters near a Home Depot.

Protesters blocked the street by flipping over shopping carts and lighting fires. Some agitators threw rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles staging near the business.

Federal agents countered by firing tear gas, pepper balls and flash-bangs toward the unruly crowd.

Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks said several arrests were made for assault on a federal agent.

“Any attack on our agents or officers will not be tolerated,” the chief posted Saturday on X. “You will be arrested and federally prosecuted.”

Chief Banks also highlighted reports showing a Border Patrol vehicle that had a hole in its windshield after protesters hurled rocks at it. One of the federal agents inside suffered a cut to hand.

“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,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted Saturday on X. “If the local police force won’t back our men and women on the thin blue line, we at the FBI will.”

The White House said it activated the National Guard to quell “the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.”

Paramount Mayor Peggy Lemons said agents were not conducting an immigration sweep at the Home Depot when the violence escalated, but instead were staging in front of a Department of Homeland Security office that mainly deals with the port authority.

Federal authorities have arrested more than 100 people during immigration raids this week around Los Angeles, prompting immigration advocates to hit the streets in protest of the crackdown.