By A volatile protest outside a federal immigration detention center turned destructive over the weekend, as demonstrators breached the facility’s entrance, defaced property, and clashed with law enforcement. Video of the incident shows masked individuals forcing their way through security barriers.
The Department of Homeland Security released a statement noting it took the LAPD two hours to respond to the Roybal building, despite multiple calls.
“Last night, over 1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer-funded property,” according to DHS. “Our ICE enforcement officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them. Disturbingly, in recent days, ICE officers’ family members have been dox[x]ed and targeted as well.”
The protest followed a wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids carried out across Los Angeles as part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement efforts. The raids have sparked widespread opposition from progressive groups and local leaders, many of whom argue the actions are unnecessarily aggressive and politically charged. Friday’s demonstration, unlike earlier protests, crossed into direct confrontation.
Footage from the scene depicts black-clad protesters damaging the facility’s perimeter and engaging with security forces in a chaotic standoff. Some appeared to be equipped with tactical gear, raising concerns among authorities about outside coordination or planning. Law enforcement responded quickly, deploying LAPD officers in cooperation with federal agents to regain control of the area.
BREAKING: @FoxNews has obtained intense video showing @CBP agents’ perspective inside their vehicle as it is pelted with rocks while they attempt to leave the anti-ICE protest in Paramount, CA today. You can hear & see the windows & windshield breaking w/ each hit. Federal source… pic.twitter.com/2oo2N4GzU1
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 7, 2025
The riots in LA are a direct result of Democrat leadership.
Under Democrat reign, no one is held accountable for their actions—the rule of law disappears.
God bless and protect our law enforcement officers. pic.twitter.com/lnfOztevwV
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) June 8, 2025
The unrest has reminded the country how violent the left can get when they’re out of power, especially when they have the support of Democrats like California Governor Gavin Newsom. The potential 2028 candidate for president blamed the violence on ICE doing their jobs, not his party’s violent base.
As the federal government conducts chaotic immigration sweeps across the country, the state is deploying additional CHP to maintain safety on Los Angeles highways to keep the peace. It's not their job to assist in federal immigration enforcement.
The federal government is sowing…
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) June 8, 2025
Newsom was slammed almost immediately for his comments.
Violence, what violence?pic.twitter.com/LJoumcpd4o https://t.co/CzgCocKtIG
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) June 8, 2025
The governor’s inaction has led President Trump to deploy the National Guard to protect ICE agents, reported ABC News.
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum “deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness” in California as demonstrations opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue in the state, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Saturday.
“In the wake of this violence, California’s feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens,” Leavitt said. “That is why President Trump has signed a Presidential Memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester,” Leavitt said.
Earlier, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the federal government was moving to “take over the California National Guard,” calling the move “purposefully inflammatory” and saying it will “only escalate tensions.”
Earlier Saturday evening, Trump said in a social media post that if California lawmakers can’t “do their jobs” then the federal government will “step in and solve the problem,” but he did not provide specific details.
Meanwhile, speculation over the protest’s organization continues to circulate online. Some have suggested activist networks or high-profile donors may be funding these efforts, though no verified evidence has emerged, like the Tesla protests earlier in the year.
Earlier in the week, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received widespread condemnation after suggesting he might publicly identify ICE agents involved in what he labeled as misconduct. His remarks, delivered amid growing left-wing hostility toward immigration enforcement, sparked bipartisan backlash, with critics accusing him of encouraging harassment and even violence against federal law enforcement officers. The controversy follows a confrontation between Democratic lawmakers and ICE agents in Newark, New Jersey, where one congresswoman was charged with assault. ICE officials, including Acting Director Todd Lyons, have raised alarm over escalating threats against agents—threats they say are fueled by political rhetoric like Jeffries’.
The backlash has also reignited scrutiny of Jeffries’ past, including his defense of his uncle’s antisemitic remarks and controversial writings attacking Black conservatives. Meanwhile, Republicans have released bodycam footage they say refutes Democratic claims of abuse at the Newark facility, accusing the left of undermining law enforcement while shielding their own from accountability. With assaults on ICE officers up 400% over the past year, the episode underscores the growing dangers faced by frontline immigration agents—and the deepening divide over border policy and the rule of law.
[Read More: CNN Reveals Dems Still Want Unpopular Policy]
