The Pentagon has confirmed the deployment of approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles to support the National Guard in responding to ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. This move comes as California Governor Gavin Newsom has mounted a legal challenge to the deployment of the National Guard, arguing that it violates federal law and state sovereignty.
According to the US Northern Command, the Marines will help “provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency” and protect federal personnel and property. A Trump administration official clarified that the soldiers will act in support of the National Guard and other law enforcement, without invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807. Trump mentioned that protests in the city were “heading in the right direction” and added, “We’ll see what happens.”
The deployment has sparked controversy, with Newsom accusing Trump of “creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the US Constitution and overstepping his authority”. Newsom’s office also stated that the “level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented – mobilising the best in class branch of the US military against its own citizens”. The California lawsuit argues that the legal authority Trump invoked to deploy the National Guard requires the consent of the state’s governor, which Newsom did not provide.
Protests in Los Angeles have continued, with community leaders calling for due process and legal representation for those detained by immigration agents. Indigenous community leader Perla Rios said, “What our families are experiencing is simply a nightmare”.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has also called for protests across the country, demanding the release of their California president, David Huerta, who was detained during immigration raids. “From Massachusetts to California, we call for his immediate release and for an end to ICE raids that are tearing our communities apart,” the SEIU said.
The situation remains tense, with Trump indicating potential further action. Meanwhile, critics have denounced Trump’s immigration policies and the resulting protests as creating an “immense amount of fear”.