Police in Los Angeles have made mass arrests after Mayor Karen Bass imposed a night-time curfew in parts of the city, following outbreaks of looting and violence during protests against recent immigration raids.

The curfew came into effect at 8:00 pm local time (04:00 BST) in parts of downtown LA, as demonstrations escalated over federal enforcement actions targeting undocumented immigrants.

“Mass arrests are underway in areas where crowds have defied dispersal orders,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement, without specifying how many people had been detained.

The protests in Los Angeles are part of a wave of demonstrations sweeping across the United States, as activists and immigrant rights groups condemn what they describe as heavy-handed tactics by immigration enforcement agencies.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the National Guard to deploy in anticipation of further protests in major cities, including Houston and Austin.

In New York City, several arrests were also reported as police clashed with demonstrators in Manhattan late on Tuesday.

The unrest has triggered political fallout, with California Governor Gavin Newsom accusing President Donald Trump of exacerbating tensions.

“Deploying the National Guard at this stage has only inflamed a combustible situation,” Newsom said, warning that aggressive federal measures risk undermining community trust.

The Biden-era immigration policy reversals—reinstated under President Trump’s second term—have reignited nationwide debates over deportations, sanctuary cities, and the treatment of migrant families.

While protests began peacefully over the weekend, they have grown increasingly confrontational, with reports of vandalism, looting, and arrests in several states.

Authorities in Los Angeles say the curfew will remain in place until further notice and have urged residents to avoid downtown areas during the night.

Source: BBC

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