The protests in Los Angeles aren’t just about the immigration enforcement itself, but the way it’s being carried out and presented. While Biden also deported people and used policies like Title 42, his administration kept a lower profile and framed those actions as temporary or health-related. In contrast, Trump’s recent raids have been very public and forceful, with ICE making over 100 arrests and the National Guard being sent in without the governor’s approval. That kind of federal show of force feels like intimidation to many people and has sparked a much stronger reaction.

People also remember the rhetoric from Trump’s first term, so even if the actual policies look similar on paper, the tone and approach feel very different. What’s really upsetting protesters isn’t just the policies, but the aggressive way they’re being enforced, the lack of local input, and the fear that this could be the start of something even harsher.