President Donald Trump has signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to disperse protests over immigration activity in the Los Angeles area, the White House said in a statement Saturday night.

Trump signed a memo to federalize 2,000 National Guardsmen, arguing the deployment is necessary to combat the “lawlessness” in Los Angeles.

Employing tear gas, the authorities later moved most of the demonstrators away from the area in front of the Home Depot, scattering them in different directions. They closed the Alondra Boulevard off-ramps from the Long Beach (710) Freeway, and CHP vehicle were blocking the on-ramps to prevent protesters from walking onto the freeway.