The streets of downtown Los Angeles were lit by burning vehicles, echoing with chants, flash bangs, and the hum of helicopters—scenes that have horrified city leaders and caught the attention of Catholics across the nation. The unrest followed three days of protests against aggressive federal immigration raids, culminating in violence that many say was stoked—not calmed—by the decision to deploy the National Guard.
Mayor Karen Bass denounced the violence but pointed to the root of the unrest: fear and anger over how immigration agents have conducted raids across the city. “What we’re seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration,” she said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“When you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart… you cause fear and you cause panic.”
As Catholics, we are called to uphold the dignity of every human person, especially immigrants and families fleeing hardship. The Church’s social teaching has long defended the right of people to migrate in search of safety and opportunity. When policies create trauma and division rather than compassion and order, we must speak.
But what began as demonstrations quickly turned destructive. Protesters shut down the 101 Freeway. According to the Times, they targeted five Waymo vehicles—slashing tires, breaking windows, and spray-painting anti-ICE messages. Three cars were set on fire. Scooters were hurled into the blaze. One masked man reportedly used a makeshift flamethrower to ignite a car’s interior.
LAPD reported at least 10 arrests Sunday, including one man who allegedly rammed a motorcycle into a line of officers and another accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail. Flash bang rounds were fired after rocks and debris were hurled at police below the freeway overpass.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell called the scenes “disgusting,” saying, “These past few nights we’ve seen a level that disgusts every good person in this city.” While the National Guard has been stationed around federal buildings, McDonnell admitted the situation was “out of control,” though he remained hesitant to fully endorse the Guard’s deployment, which President Trump initiated over objections from both Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass.
California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis accused Trump of escalating the situation. “It seems to me what Trump is doing is intentionally escalating this,” she told CNN. “There’s no reason to send in the National Guard other than to show a flex of strength.” She added, “It was under control… It seems to point to the fact [Trump] is trying to escalate the conflict.”
Senator Alex Padilla likewise warned of distractions from larger political aims. “Keep protesting because Donald Trump would love for everybody to sit back quietly while he continues to overreach… and violate the law,” Padilla said, according to the Los Angeles Times. He also noted that a new congressional bill threatening healthcare and raising costs for families may be part of what Trump hopes to bury under the noise of these raids and military shows of force.
Even as Church leaders may avoid direct political engagement, Catholics cannot ignore the moral stakes. The U.S. bishops have spoken out repeatedly about family separation and aggressive immigration enforcement. Pope Francis himself has said, “Migrants are not a danger—they are in danger.”
What unfolded in L.A. this weekend is a test of moral clarity for our communities. Protesters and activists must commit to nonviolence, refusing to allow anger to devolve into destruction. As Assemblymember Mark González said, “Let’s be absolutely clear: the violent acts we’re seeing… have nothing to do with immigration, justice, or the values of our communities.” Reckless acts undermine the witness of those who seek reform.
Yet the greater danger remains in allowing fear and power to dominate compassion and law. The Church must continue to advocate for humane immigration reform—and for leadership that chooses mercy over spectacle, protection over provocation. In moments like these, we are reminded that peace is not merely the absence of violence but the presence of justice.
