Los Angeles is burning – again. Anti-ICE protests have spiraled into riots—streets blocked, fires lit, helicopters overhead. Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew. Trump sent in the National Guard and even Marines.The blame game is in full swing. Newsom blames Trump’s policies. Trump supporters blame the left for enabling chaos. But I’ve seen this before.
In 2006, when LA erupted over Bush’s immigration proposal, I watched closely. I was just 12, but I attended my own demonstrations which shaped how I saw the world. Years later, I joined the far-left activist movement, Antifa. Ironically, that path eventually led me to question my radical activist past.
Now, as a naturalized citizen, I see the same unrest—but with clearer eyes. If we want to stop this cycle of riots and rage, we need to face 4 hard truths no one wants to admit.
1. There are four types of people involved in these protests
First, there are peaceful protestors advocating for immigrant rights. Some protesters are doing it the right way – let’s not ignore them. For example, in Tampa, peaceful protesters march with signs, exercising their First Amendment rights—they’re the ones who deserve our ear.
Second, there are rioters who believe in destruction to advance their cause. Third, there are agitators and professional activists, like Antifa, who’ve long thrived on chaos. And lastly, opportunists who exploit the disorder to loot stores or settle scores.
Rioters, agitators, and opportunists must face accountability—arrests, fines, and public condemnation—to deter the lawlessness that undermines legitimate grievances. There is absolutely no excuse for the media or any outside commentator to make excuses for the current anarchy.
2. Immigrants are not rioting
An image circulating on social media shows a shirtless protester wearing black pants covered in band patches–some of which I blasted as a kid—waving a Mexican flag. Immediately, people called him an illegal immigrant, leading a foreign takeover.
But when I protested, I was an outlier as an immigrant. Most of my friends were American-born, driven by ideology or frustration, not immigration status. Many in the Mexican community call them the “no sabo” kids, Americans of Mexican descent who can’t speak Spanish.
I am willing to bet that the majority of those rioting are U.S. citizens. Immigrants, both illegally present or not, know one misstep could mean deportation – they’re not the ones torching Waymo cars or clashing with police. Painting this as an immigrant-led uprising distorts reality.
3. The riots don’t help immigrants
I’m still very well connected with my community in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley, including many immigrants, some here legally and others not. Some have told me that this is all Trump’s fault – if he weren’t president, then none of these demonstrations would have happened. But, some look at Governor Newsom as a failure of a leader, remembering all too well the 2020 riots that he failed to contain.
Regardless of who they blame, these communities are united in their exhaustion.
Immigrants fear deportation but also crave stability—to work, raise kids, and contribute to a country they love. Riots only deepen their vulnerability, not their cause.
4. National Guard’s presence, while heavy-handed, is sometimes necessary
I’m no stranger to distrusting police power. I always have a healthy distrust of the government no matter who is in office. But the reality is that both Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Newsom have failed, and it’s not Gov. Newsom’s first time.
The videos and images of burning cars and businesses speak for themselves. The National Guard is not the ideal solution. However, when local leaders let chaos fester, stronger measures become the only way to restore order and protect communities.
How We Move Forward
These truths are uncomfortable for both sides. But if we keep blaming everything on Trump—or labeling every Mexican flag-waver an illegal insurgent—we’ll stay stuck in this cycle.
I know, because I lived it.
I believed the slogans. I got pulled into radical politics because no one offered a better path. It wasn’t until I questioned my views that I began to see what helps communities.
It’s not rage. It’s not burning cars or shouting slogans. It’s honest conversations, strong leadership, and sometimes, tough enforcement when leaders fail.
If we want peace, we need clarity. If we want justice, we need order. And if we care about the American Dream, we need to stop excusing violence and start rebuilding trust.
