Vice President JD Vance arrives in Los Angeles

Vice President JD Vance arrived in Los Angeles on Friday as part of a surprise visit to a region hit by a series of federal immigration raids that have sparked protests and defiance from residents and local officials.

His office said in a statement that Vance would tour a multiagency Federal Joint Operations Center, a Federal Mobile Command Center, and meet with Marines who have been sent to the area, but additional information about his visit remains unclear.

Multiple White House officials did not respond to requests for details about Vance’s schedule.

Vance is also expected to make brief remarks during his stop.

Vance arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at 1:35 p.m., according to pool reports, and did not take questions from reporters before heading to the federal operations center.

The vice president met with Akil Davis, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles office, for a tour of the FBI’s command center. The center is part of a 14-agency joint operation by federal officials in Los Angeles, according to pool reports.

Officials from the vice president’s office said Vance would be speaking with officials from the Department of Defense, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, as well as Los Angeles police and the California Highway Patrol during his visit.

The visit comes as California and federal officials battle in court over control of the California National Guard. President Trump federalized the troops over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom and sent them to L.A. after immigration raids sparked protests.

The clash has left Newsom and officials in the Trump administration trading barbs in interviews and social media. Vance appears unlikely to meet with the highest elected official of the country’s most populous state.

“We’re always open to working together — which makes it all the more disappointing that the White House chose not to engage with us directly ahead of the visit,” a statement from the governor’s office read. “We’ve yet to receive any official notice of the Vice President’s trip — which, from what we understand, is focused on a high-dollar fundraiser.”

Newsom later released a video on X, addressing Vance directly and urging the vice president to meet with victims of the Palisades and Altadena fires.

“It’s been months now since some of the most devastating wildfires in U.S. history occurred — tens of thousands of lives completely torn asunder,” Newsom said in the video. “I hope you have an opportunity to spend some quality time with some of the victims of the families in the Palisades and also spend some time in Altadena, which is incredibly important.”

Newsom also urged Vance to speak with Trump about comments the president made earlier this week, suggesting he would cut disaster relief for the fires because of the ongoing feud with Newsom.

“It’s honestly important as well, and I honestly mean this, that you sit down with the president of the United States, who just a couple of days ago suggested that these American citizens may not get the support that other citizens get all across this country in terms of disaster relief,” Newsom said. “I hope we get that back on track. We’re counting on you, Mr. Vice President.”

On Thursday, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals kept control of the troops in Trump’s hands while the issue is litigated in federal court.

Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta has vowed to continue fighting the Trump administration over the decision.

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.