It has been 60 years since a president has deployed the National Guard without the cooperation of a governor.The last time was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent the National Guard to protect Civil Rights marchers from Selma to Montgomery, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. He overrode Gov. George Wallace, who was an outspoken segregationist.This was not what is known as "Bloody Sunday," which is when state troopers brutally attacked marchers on March 7.It happened a few weeks later, after Wallace told the president that he would use state troopers to protect marchers before going on television and calling for the president to send federal troops instead.Johnson called up the National Guard to protect the thousands of marchers who arrived in Montgomery on March 25, 1965.Within five months, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which Johnson signed into law.Sixty years later, President Donald Trump is the first president since then to deploy the National Guard against the wishes of a governor.In the player below: Witness moments of history and the Civil Rights Movement in the archival video below.The National Guard arrived in Los Angeles following two days of protests that began Friday before spreading on Saturday to Paramount, a heavily Latino city south of the city, and neighboring Compton.Trump has said the National Guard was necessary because California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have failed to staunch recent protests targeting immigration agents.Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed above 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement.The presence of the Guard was “inflaming tensions" in the city, according to a letter sent to Trump Newsom on Sunday afternoon. He formally requested Trump remove the guard members, which he called a “serious breach of state sovereignty.”The recent protests remain far smaller than past events that have brought the National Guard to Los Angeles, including the Watts and Rodney King riots, and the 2020 protests against police violence, in which Newsom requested the assistance of federal troops. U.S. officials said about 1,000 National Guard members were in the city under federal orders by midday Monday to respond to immigration protests. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details of military operations. Trump authorized on Monday the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to help respond to protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, according to U.S. officials.“Rescind the order. Return control to California,” Newsom, a Democrat, demanded in a post Sunday on the social media platform X.Video below: Explaining the scope of President Trump's power to use armed forces in Los AngelesCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state would seek a restraining order “to set aside the president’s unlawful action in federalizing the California National Guard.” He said there was neither a migrant “invasion” nor an active rebellion to warrant the takeover.Video below: Mayor Karen Bass addresses ICE protests in LAU.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, in a statement, said they are working to enforce immigration laws and remove immigrants with criminal convictions. They also said they stand ready to arrest protesters who break the law._____The Associated Press contributed to this report
It has been 60 years since a president has deployed the National Guard without the cooperation of a governor.
The last time was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent the National Guard to protect Civil Rights marchers from Selma to Montgomery, according to the . He overrode Gov. George Wallace, who was an outspoken segregationist.
This was not what is known as "Bloody Sunday," which is when state troopers brutally attacked marchers on March 7.
It happened a few weeks later, after Wallace told the president that he would use state troopers to protect marchers before going on television and calling for the president to send federal troops instead.
Bettmann
3/18/1965-Washington, DC-President Lyndon Johnson advised Alabama Governor George C. Wallace that he will federalize the Alabama National Guard to protect a Negro voting rights march in Selma if Wallace is "unable or unwilling" to call out the Guard to do the job. The Chief Executive is shown at his desk just prior to making the statement.
Johnson called up the National Guard to protect the thousands of marchers who arrived in Montgomery on March 25, 1965.
Bettmann
Selma, Ala.: Long line of puddling civil rights marchers is watched over by National Guard helicopter which kept the column under continual surveillance. Estimated 5,000 marchers left Selma on a five day trek to state capitol in Montgomery.
Within five months, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which Johnson signed into law.
Sixty years later, President Donald Trump is the first president since then to deploy the National Guard against the wishes of a governor.
In the player below: Witness moments of history and the Civil Rights Movement in the archival video below.
The National Guard arrived in Los Angeles following two days of protests that began Friday before spreading on Saturday to Paramount, a heavily Latino city south of the city, and neighboring Compton.
Trump has said the National Guard was necessary because California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have failed to staunch recent protests targeting immigration agents.
Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed above 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement.
The presence of the Guard was “inflaming tensions" in the city, according to a sent to Trump Newsom on Sunday afternoon. He formally requested Trump remove the guard members, which he called a “serious breach of state sovereignty.”
The recent protests remain far smaller than past events that have brought the National Guard to Los Angeles, including the Watts and Rodney King riots, and the 2020 protests against police violence, in which Newsom requested the assistance of federal troops.
U.S. officials said about 1,000 National Guard members were in the city under federal orders by midday Monday to respond The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details of military operations. Trump authorized on Monday the deployment of an additional 2,000 National Guard members to help respond to protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, according to U.S. officials.
“Rescind the order. Return control to California,” Newsom, a Democrat, demanded in a post Sunday on the social media platform X.
Video below: Explaining the scope of President Trump's power to use armed forces in Los Angeles
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state would seek a restraining order “to set aside the president’s unlawful action in federalizing the California National Guard.” He said there was neither a migrant “invasion” nor an active rebellion to warrant the takeover.
Video below: Mayor Karen Bass addresses ICE protests in LA
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, in a statement, said they are working to enforce immigration laws and remove immigrants with criminal convictions. They also said they stand ready to arrest protesters who break the law.
_____
The Associated Press contributed to this report
