A City Under Siege: Federal Crackdown on L.A. Protests
Over the past few weeks, protests and direct action against the Trump administration have captured national attention. On Saturday, June 7th, the administration announced the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles to confront protestors. Following this, the U.S. Marines were sent to similar ends. More recently, Trump has announced his interest in deploying the National Guard to more cities across the U.S. and has directed ICE officials to focus deportation efforts on “America’s largest cities” in retaliation to mass Anti-Trump demonstrations in these cities this past weekend.
More Than a Moment: What the L.A. Protests Represent
The fight between citizens and the federal government that went down in L.A. is not an isolated incident. Rather, it is emblematic of an attitude of popular dissatisfaction with the administration’s draconian policies and part of resistance to those policies that will continue even with federal repression. We wanted to share this blog post with two goals:
- A discussion of the L.A. protests & the deep significance of the events
- A reminder of the rights you have when protesting & the risks you face in the current moment.
“This is what happened in LA: direct action against ICE arrests resulting in a brutal and violent federal crackdown.”
A Community in Crisis: Escalating Fear Under ICE Enforcement
Since its conception, ICE has disrupted communities and torn apart families, but this has heightened to frightening levels since January 20, 2025. Masked ICE agents are arresting people at graduation ceremonies, immigration hearings, workplaces, and nearly every type of community gathering space. This has resulted in the creation of a culture of fear, hopelessness, and constant vulnerability for community members simply trying to go about their day, pick up their kids from school, or obtain legal status through showing up to their prescribed hearings.
So, it was only a matter of time until the community resisted and decided to put their bodies on the line for the sake of one another. This is what happened in LA: direct action against ICE arrests resulting in a brutal and violent federal crackdown. However, the solidarity and the continued hope found in these protests—in the face of a plethora of dangers associated with standing up for one’s beliefs—is too important to be dismissed. America recognizes this hostility towards immigrants for what it is. It may seem hard to remember, but the ICE raids and ongoing assault on immigrant populations is not popular and not in line with our overall values.
“It is our duty to resist; we must continue to show up for our community members, our friends, family, and loved ones.”
BPR’s Message: Resistance and Solidarity
Benach Pitney Reilly Immigration (BPR) stands with the people of L.A., we stand with all of those who are brave enough to make their voices heard and who are strong enough to continue to do that no matter the backlash.
Protest in 2025: The New Risks of Speaking Out
Still, it is hard to deny that it feels (and is) risky to stand in opposition to Trump right now. When political violence is the norm for both state actors and non-state actors, it can feel like lawlessness is reigning supreme. We would be remiss to not recognize and seriously consider the precarity that the current protests feature. So, we think it is apt to remind of the rights you have—whether you are documented or not—when protesting.
Know Your Rights While Protesting
Firstly, everyone living in the United States has the right to peaceful protest. While we do not recommend that those who are vulnerable to Trump’s mass deportation efforts engage in protest, immigrants are still entitled to the basic right of peaceful demonstration.
If you are approached or questioned by any sort of official (Police, ICE, Marine, etc.):
- You have the right to remain silent
- You do not have to answer questions, including about immigration status
- It is illegal to lie about immigration status
- You are not required to show identification documents
- You have the right to speak with an attorney
How to Protest Safely
- Stay centered on the purpose of the protest and consider how your advocacy affects others
- Remain aware of your surroundings and any changes in the environment
- Protect yourself and those around you—community care includes safety
A Closing Note from BPR
This blog post is written with the attention of resituating, celebrating, and emphasizing the importance of continual resistance to authoritarianism and division. BPR is proud to express solidarity with those marching in the streets and is proud to continue to work to aid these communities using our expertise the best way we know how. This will be unchanging, and we hope others’ resistance is unchanging even as the government grows more hostile and antagonistic.