Trump’s Crackdown in Los Angeles Is a Warning to Black America
With National Guard troops ordered into Los Angeles without the governor’s consent, President Donald Trump’s aggressive federal response to immigration protests in majority-Black and Latino neighborhoods mirrors tactics used against Black-led demonstrations in 2020. From deploying troops without local approval to promoting Project 2025's anti-civil rights agenda, the crackdown sends a chilling signal to Black communities across the U.S., where resistance is often met with federal overreach.
As National Guard troops flood into Los Angeles at President Donald Trump’s command — without the consent of California’s governor — Black communities across the United States are seeing history repeat itself. The aggressive federal response mirrors what unfolded in Washington, D.C. in 2020, when Trump deployed federal forces to crush protests for George Floyd, resulting in the tear gassing of peaceful demonstrators outside the White House.
Now, with immigration raids sparking protests in majority-Black and Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles like Compton and Paramount, Trump has again used federal troops to confront civilians. For Black communities in Atlanta, Detroit, Baltimore, Memphis, New Orleans, and other cities where resistance often rises from the streets, the latest crackdown in Los Angeles is not just another news story. It’s a clear and dangerous signal.
Five reasons why Black communities nationwide should be paying attention:
- The federal response in L.A. mirrors 2020’s assault on Black protestors. What Trump is doing in Los Angeles — using military force against protestors without state consent — is the same tactic used against Black-led protests in 2020. From Minneapolis to Washington, D.C., Black communities bore the brunt of that crackdown. This is not a new chapter — it’s a rerun.
- Cities with high Black populations are often epicenters for protest. Cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis and Ferguson have been home to historic uprisings against police violence and systemic racism. These cities are likely to be on the federal radar again if unrest rises — especially under a Trump administration with expanded authority and a clear record of targeting protests.
- Project 2025 would strip civil rights protections and expand federal policing. Project 2025, developed by Trump allies at the Heritage Foundation, outlines plans to dismantle the DOJ’s civil rights division, roll back diversity programs, and grant the president sweeping control over law enforcement. That puts Black-led movements, Black mayors, and Black communities directly in harm’s way.
- Federal overreach bypasses local Black leadership. Many majority-Black cities are led by Black mayors and city councils. But in 2020 and now again in 2025, the Trump administration has shown a willingness to ignore or override local Black leadership, sending in troops regardless of opposition. That same strategy could be applied to any Black-run city.
- Trump’s rhetoric continues to criminalize Black dissent. Trump’s language — labeling protestors as “looters” and “thugs” — was widely condemned in 2020 as racist and inflammatory. Now, he’s using it again in response to the L.A. demonstrations. Black voices demanding justice are still being framed as threats, justifying federal crackdowns in ways that disproportionately affect Black communities.
Stacy M. Brown is Black Press USA senior national correspondent. This was originally published in the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). For more information, visit www.nnpa.org.