US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicised anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles.

“We must expand efforts to detain and deport illegal aliens in America’s largest cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions upon millions of illegal aliens reside,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

“These, and other such cities, are the core of the Democrat power centre,” he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers.

Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals.

Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times.

Trump has pounced on the violent incidents to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines to the Democrat-led city, against the wishes of local and state authorities.

California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court.

Mayor Karen Bass said on Sunday that an overnight curfew put in place last week to stop vandalism and looting at the protests would be extended by “a couple more days.”

She described the fear and anger that have taken hold in the heavily Latino city over the immigration raids.

“People are afraid to leave their homes,” she said, adding that raids have at times felt “indiscriminate.”

“This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public,” she said.

Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday with just a handful of demonstrators marching outside City Hall ahead of the curfew.

“Get the job done!”

In a long screed on Truth Social on Sunday, Republican Trump charged that ICE agents “are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from radical Democrat politicians”.

But, he insisted, “nothing will stop us from executing our mission […] ICE officers are herewith ordered […] to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest mass deportation programme in history.”

Trump made a litany of grievances against “sick” Democrats, including charges that they “believe in open borders, transgender for everybody, and men playing in women’s sports”.

That, he said, was why he wanted ICE and other law enforcement agencies “to focus on our crime-ridden and deadly inner cities”.

He said he had directed his entire administration “to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of mass destruction migration that has turned once idyllic towns into scenes of third world dystopia”.

Trump said he wanted “our brave officers to know that real Americans are cheering you on every day”.

“To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, get the job done!” he wrote.

Former president Barack Obama, meanwhile, criticised Trump’s deportation drive.

“Families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities, are being demonised and treated as enemies,” he said on the social media platform X.

“We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognising our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect.”