A rarely used federal statute has reemerged as the U.S. faces a growing constitutional crisis following violent unrest in Los Angeles. The crisis began after ICE conducted large-scale immigration raids in Latino neighborhoods, prompting protests that escalated into looting, arson, and mass arrests.

President Donald Trump, recently returned to office, responded by deploying 2,000 National Guard troops on June 7, bypassing state authority and criticizing local officials via Truth Social. California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed the move, calling the deployment unlawful and blaming Trump for inflaming tensions.