
Maxine Waters, a vocal opponent of President Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown, defiantly confronted armed National Guard troops during violent Los Angeles protests, demanding to know “Who are you going to shoot?” while challenging their authority to maintain order against increasingly destructive anti-ICE demonstrations.
Key Takeaways
- Representative Maxine Waters directly challenged National Guard troops and ICE agents during protests, at one point asking “You going to shoot an elected official? If you shoot me, you better shoot straight.”
- President Trump deployed nearly 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without California Governor Gavin Newsom’s request, marking the first such deployment since 1965.
- Protests have turned violent, with 27 arrests including charges for throwing Molotov cocktails, a protester jumping from a burning Waymo taxi, and another driving a motorcycle into police.
- Governor Newsom has called the troop deployment “an alarming abuse of power” designed “not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis.”
- The Department of Homeland Security maintains the ICE raids are targeting “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles.
Waters Confronts Federal Authorities Amid Escalating Protests
Representative Maxine Waters inserted herself into the center of chaotic anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles, directly challenging federal authorities as violence erupted across the city. Waters confronted both ICE agents and National Guard troops deployed by President Trump, questioning their presence and authority in a dramatic standoff that highlighted the growing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local resistance. When faced with armed personnel, Waters provocatively asked, “Who are you going to shoot?” displaying her defiance toward what many Democrats view as federal overreach in immigration enforcement.
Waters attempted to enter the Los Angeles Federal building to check on SEIU President David Huerta, who had been detained during the protests, but was denied entry by security. When rebuffed, Waters responded with characteristic boldness, telling federal agents, “You going to shoot an elected official? If you shoot me, you better shoot straight.” This confrontational approach from a sitting congresswoman has intensified the already heated debate over President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategies and the deployment of military personnel to American cities.
Trump’s National Guard Deployment Sparks Political Backlash
President Trump’s decision to deploy approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the request or approval of California Governor Gavin Newsom represents the first such federal military presence in the city since the 1965 Watts riots. The deployment, part of the administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration, has sparked fierce resistance from state officials who view it as federal overreach and an inappropriate militarization of civil matters. The standoff highlights the ongoing tension between Trump’s immigration enforcement priorities and sanctuary jurisdictions.
“The Trump administration is committed to restoring the California Dream,” said White House spokesperson Kush Desai, defending the president’s actions as necessary to maintain order and enforce immigration laws. However, Governor Newsom and other Democratic leaders have characterized the deployment as politically motivated and unnecessarily provocative, claiming it was ordered “not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis.”
Violence Escalates as Protests Intensify
What began as protests against ICE raids targeting illegal immigrants has descended into chaos in parts of Los Angeles. Among the most alarming incidents, a protester was seen jumping from a burning Waymo taxi near the Metropolitan Detention Center, while others have engaged in direct confrontations with law enforcement. The LAPD has declared downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly following scattered violence, with 27 protesters arrested on serious charges including throwing a Molotov cocktail and driving a motorcycle into police lines.
“Democratic governors denounced the deployment as an alarming abuse of power,” according to reports that highlight growing concern among state leaders about the federal response. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom has accused the Trump administration of “inciting and provoking violence, creating mass chaos and militarizing cities,” reflecting the deep partisan divide over immigration enforcement and appropriate responses to civil unrest.
Federal Immigration Enforcement Continues Despite Resistance
Despite the protests and political opposition, the Department of Homeland Security maintains that the ICE raids are specifically targeting the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” and fulfilling President Trump’s campaign promises to enforce immigration laws. Los Angeles, as a sanctuary city, has become a focal point in this enforcement effort, with raids increasing throughout Southern California, including in the garment district. The conflict illustrates the wider tension between federal immigration policy and local sanctuary laws designed to protect illegal immigrants.
The standoff between federal authorities and state officials has escalated beyond rhetoric, with Governor Newsom requesting that the Trump administration rescind the National Guard deployment and even suggesting California might withhold $80 billion in taxes in response. President Trump has countered with threats to withhold federal funding from California universities. This financial brinkmanship demonstrates how immigration enforcement has become entangled with broader fiscal and political disputes between the administration and Democratic-led states.
Ongoing Tensions and Safety Concerns
As protests continue across Los Angeles, authorities remain on high alert for further violence. The FBI has added a man accused of assaulting a federal officer during a protest to its Most Wanted list, offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has urged protesters to express their outrage peacefully, attempting to balance support for free expression with concerns about public safety and property destruction that has included burned vehicles and damaged buildings.
The situation remains volatile with ongoing demonstrations, continued immigration enforcement actions, and a heavy federal presence on city streets. While Waters and other Democratic leaders argue they are defending constitutional rights and protecting vulnerable communities, President Trump’s administration maintains that enforcing immigration laws and maintaining public order are essential government responsibilities that will continue despite local resistance. The conflict in Los Angeles represents a microcosm of the nation’s broader divisions over immigration policy, law enforcement, and federal-state relations.