Los Angeles police quickly enforced a downtown curfew on Tuesday night, arresting people shortly after it began. They used officers on horseback and crowd control tools to break up a large group of hundreds who were protesting President Trump's strict immigration policies.

Even though members of the National Guard were on guard behind their plastic shields, they did not seem to be directly involved in the arrests.

Several hours later, most of the protesters had gone, although occasional clashes, much smaller than on previous nights, still occurred. Officials stated that the curfew was essential to prevent vandalism and theft by agitators who wanted to cause problems.

Governor Gavin Newsom had previously criticized Trump for increasing the use of the National Guard, stating that it created a significant military presence in Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest city. He also mentioned that Marines had been deployed, but they were not visible on the streets on Tuesday.

Governor Newsom has asked the court to immediately stop the National Guard from helping federal immigration agents. He argues that having guardsmen provide security during arrests will make tensions worse and could lead to public disorder. The judge has set a hearing for Thursday, which means the administration can continue these activities until then.

This change means that troops are now closer to being involved in law enforcement activities, such as deportations. This is something President Trump has promised as part of his government's strong efforts to control immigration. Although the Guard can temporarily hold people who attack officers, any actual arrests will ultimately be made by the police.

Despite strong opposition from city and state leaders, Trump called up more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines. Their initial purpose was to protect federal buildings.

Protests have spread to many cities across the country, including Dallas and Austin in Texas, and Chicago and New York, where large groups of people gathered and many arrests occurred.

In Texas, after police in Austin used tear gas to end a big protest on Monday, Governor Greg Abbott's spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, stated on Tuesday evening that National Guard troops were ready to be sent to places where more protests are expected.

Assistant Police Chief Jesse Salame stated that National Guard members were sent to San Antonio, but he could not say how many were deployed or give specific details about the deployment.

Due to the ongoing protests, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency. She announced a curfew from 8 p.m. on Tuesday until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, and she expects it to continue for several days.

Bass stated during a news conference on Tuesday that a critical threshold had been crossed following the looting of 23 businesses.

The curfew applies to a specific downtown area of 2.5 square kilometers, which is where protests have been happening. In contrast, the entire city of Los Angeles is much larger, covering about 1,295 square kilometers.

According to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, the curfew does not apply to people living in the specific area, those who are homeless, authorized media, or public safety and emergency workers.

McDonnell stated that "illegal and dangerous behavior" had been continuously increasing since Saturday.

McDonnell stated that the curfew was an essential measure to protect lives and property, as the city had experienced several consecutive days of increasing unrest.

Trump suggested he might use the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to send military forces into the U.S. to stop rebellions, handle civil unrest, or make sure laws are followed in certain cases. This is one of the most extreme emergency powers a U.S. president can use.

If an insurrection happens, I would certainly use it. We will have to wait and see, he said from the Oval Office.

Later, in a speech at Fort Bragg that was supposedly to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, the president called protesters "animals" and "a foreign enemy."

Trump's negative description of Los Angeles is very different from what Bass and Newsom say is true about the city.

In a televised speech on Tuesday evening, Newsom described Trump's actions as the beginning of an attack on democratic values.

California's action might be pioneering, but it's clearly not a standalone event; other states are ready to do the same,

Newsom warned people not to encourage violence, but he strongly encouraged them to oppose the president's actions.

Donald Trump primarily desires your loyalty and your quiet agreement. He wants you to be involved in this important situation, he stated. Do not give him what he wants.

Protests started on Friday after federal immigration raids led to the arrest of many workers in Los Angeles. Over the weekend, demonstrators blocked a main highway and burned cars. Police reacted by using tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.

The protests have mostly taken place in the city center of the large city, which has four million residents. Thousands of people have peacefully gathered in front of City Hall, and hundreds more have protested outside a federal building that contains a detention center where some immigrants are being held after being caught in workplace raids.

Even though there have been protests, immigration enforcement continues across the county. City leaders and community groups have reported that ICE agents are present at places like libraries, car washes, and Home Depot stores. School graduations in Los Angeles have increased security because of worries about possible ICE actions, and some schools are offering parents the choice to watch online via Zoom.

McDonnell mentioned that on Tuesday, the police arrested 197 people. Among them, 67 were taken into custody because they were illegally occupying a part of the 101 freeway.

A string of burglaries targeted businesses on Monday, although law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed any connection between these incidents and the ongoing demonstrations.

Most arrests were for not leaving an area when told to, while some others were for serious crimes like assault with a dangerous weapon, stealing, damaging property, and trying to murder someone by throwing a Molotov cocktail. Seven police officers were reportedly hurt, and at least two had to go to the hospital before they were let go.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated on Tuesday that the use of soldiers within the U.S. is expected to increase further.

The Pentagon stated that the deployment of the National Guard and Marines incurred costs of $134 million.