L.A. immigration protests live updates: Trump deploys National Guard to crack down on demonstrations

Los Angeles protests against federal immigration raids enter third day, as Trump threatens to deploy the National Guard over objections by CA Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.

Megan Lebowitz

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told NBC News' "Meet the Press" that Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard was an effort to de-escalate tensions.

"I think what President Trump's trying to do is pretty clear. He's trying to de-escalate all the tensions that are there," he said.

He referred to protests in the wake of George Floyd's murder, saying, "What President Trump is trying to do is say this is not going to take weeks this time" to quell unrest.

Lankford also spoke about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's suggestion that active-duty Marines could be deployed to help respond to the protests. He said in a post on X that "if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert."