California asks court to block use of troops in ICE raids

Demonstrators and labor unions gather at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles for a rally demanding the release of David Huerta, a prominent union leader, on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Mark Abramson/The New York Times)

By Billy Witz, John Yoon and Eric Schmitt

California officials asked a federal court for an emergency order on Tuesday that would restrict the federal government’s use of Marines and National Guard troops in the Los Angeles area, limiting them only to protecting federal property.

The request asked a federal judge in California to issue a temporary order by 1 p.m. Pacific time, declaring that the Marines and other troops cannot accompany immigration agents on raids or perform other law enforcement activities, such as operating checkpoints.

The motion is part of an earlier lawsuit asking the court to intervene in President Donald Trump’s deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, which local officials have called unnecessary and provocative. The state argues that the president unconstitutionally bypassed Gov. Gavin Newsom of California in sending them.

The sparring between Newsom and Trump extended beyond the legal realm. Their verbal wrangling continued when the governor refuted the president’s claim that the two men spoke by phone Monday. Newsom said in a social media post that “Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn’t even know who he’s talking to.”

The Marines’ arrival, after a night of small and mostly peaceful protests in Los Angeles, enraged Democratic leaders in California, who say city and state law enforcement departments have been able to handle the unrest, which has resulted in some property damage and injuries.

Some of the protests in Los Angeles over the last four days, including a rally Monday afternoon, centered on a group of federal buildings downtown. National Guard troops have been stationed there but have largely stayed in the background of the protests.

Here’s what else to know:

— More arrests: On Monday, police officers arrested some protesters in downtown Los Angeles and dispersed others who remained in the Little Tokyo neighborhood with tear gas and flash-bang grenades. But there generally seemed to be fewer clashes between protesters and police officers than Sunday, when demonstrators briefly shut down U.S. Route 101. At least 150 people have been arrested in Los Angeles since Friday, officials said.

— Other cities: Protests have spread to other cities, including San Francisco, where Mayor Daniel Lurie said a protest Monday involving thousands of people was larger and “significantly calmer” than the demonstrations a day earlier, when violent clashes took place. In Santa Ana, California, about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles, federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets against protesters who threw bottles and rocks, officials said.

— Disinformation swirls: Misleading photographs and videos have spread widely on social media, rehashing old conspiracy theories and expressing support for Trump’s actions. The flood of falsehoods online appeared intended to stoke outrage toward immigrants and political leaders, particularly Democrats, and added to the confusion over what exactly was happening on the streets of Los Angeles.

— Weekend warning: Trump, speaking to reporters, warned against protesting at the military parade planned for Saturday in Washington. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right, but “for those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump said.