In response to a directive from President Donald Trump, an additional 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines are set to arrive in Los Angeles to increase the military presence, a move that local officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, have criticized. The first group of 2,000 Guard troops arrived on Sunday amid tumultuous demonstrations driven by the president’s rigorous immigration policies, which opponents argue are splitting migrant families.
Monday’s protests were comparatively more subdued, with a large number of demonstrators peacefully gathering at City Hall and others protesting outside a federal building housing a detention center for undocumented immigrants detained during local operations. Trump’s portrayal of Los Angeles has been challenged by Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Newsom, who argue that the situation has been exaggerated and that the additional military personnel could jeopardize public safety. Police Chief Jim McDonnell expressed confidence in the police department’s capability to manage large protests, stating that deploying Marines without police coordination poses significant logistical hurdles.
Governor Newsom criticized the deployment as reckless and offensive, stating it was more about appeasing the president’s ego than ensuring public safety. The demonstrations began after over 40 arrests were carried out by federal immigration officers. Following protests that turned violent, where demonstrators obstructed a major freeway and set fire to self-driving vehicles, additional protests in opposition to immigration raids spread to cities like San Francisco and Santa Ana in California and even reached Dallas and Austin in Texas.
Attorney General Rob Bonta has taken legal action against the federal troop deployment, emphasizing that the state’s sovereignty has been undermined. He seeks judicial intervention to deem the president’s actions unlawful and stop further deployment. Trump defended his decision, asserting it prevented the city from being heavily damaged. The Marines, according to U.S. officials, are primarily there to safeguard federal properties and personnel, and while more National Guard members are expected, their deployment could be delayed. The situation remains relatively calm, with minimal incidents between the deployed troops and those protesting.
Mayor Bass has condemned the military build-up as an intentional attempt to incite disorder in Los Angeles, urging for a halt to immigration raids. Monday’s demonstrations included a rally at City Hall advocating for David Huerta, a detained union leader who was later released on bond. Huerta’s arrest during previous protests became a symbolic rallying point amid the administration’s stringent immigration enforcement. The atmosphere at the rallies was at times celebratory, featuring music and the participation of religious leaders aiming to defuse tensions.
Law enforcement maintained a visible presence around a few crucial federal buildings, while the majority of the city continued with usual daily activities. Protesters voiced their opposition to the military presence, calling for the release of detainees and the withdrawal of the National Guard. As tensions escalated, police used force to manage and disperse the crowd, arresting those who breached their control lines. Other protests across Los Angeles County similarly sought to draw attention to the detained workers’ plight following recent immigration law enforcement operations.
This large-scale deployment marks an unusual and tremendous escalation, being the first time in decades National Guard troops were activated without gubernatorial consent. The last similar federal deployment occurred in Alabama in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson to safeguard a civil rights march. President Trump’s recent order utilized a statute allowing military intervention in events deemed rebellious against U.S. national authority.