Approximately 700 Marines have been sent to Los Angeles by the Pentagon, collaborating with the National Guard to address immigration protests. This deployment reflects an intensifying crackdown on immigration instigated by President Donald Trump as part of his commitment to mass deportations, which has heightened anxiety nationwide.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a major figure behind Trump’s immigration policies, announced last month that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should aim for at least 3,000 arrests daily. This marks a significant increase from the average daily arrests of 656 between January 20 and May 19. Miller’s ambitious target places further strain on detention facilities and elevates ICE’s operations to unprecedented levels in recent times.
The number of immigrant arrests surged in Los Angeles following a recent string of raids, including sweeps in the city’s fashion district and a Home Depot. The operations have pushed the number of arrests in the area beyond 100, prompting even more significant law enforcement presence. Among those apprehended was a well-known union leader who was protesting immigration policies. Notably, the deployment of the National Guard and Marines came despite objections from state officials.
Beyond the Los Angeles area, ICE has expanded its operations with showy displays of force. For instance, a tense encounter occurred in San Diego at a popular Italian restaurant, resulting in four immigration arrests. Additionally, an 18-year-old high school student in Massachusetts was arrested on his way to a volleyball practice, with ICE citing his illegal status in the country.
Collaborations between ICE and other agencies, such as the Tennessee Highway Patrol, have led to hundreds of traffic stops and about 200 arrests in recent weeks. However, implementing these mass deportations has stretched resources thin. Without additional funding, ICE is relying on other federal agencies and local police for assistance. The number of 287(g) agreements, which allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws, has increased sharply since Trump took office.
Despite budget constraints, ICE grapples with overcrowding, with over 53,500 individuals detained by the end of May—exceeding their budgeted capacity by a significant margin. A proposed spending bill in Congress seeks $45 billion to expand detention capacity to 100,000 people and $8 billion for employing 10,000 new ICE officials.
Trump has utilized the Los Angeles arrests as an opportunity to target state and local governments with policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Although California permits limited cooperation only when individuals have committed serious crimes, Trump has criticized such “sanctuary” policies. The White House briefly published a list of over 500 sanctuary jurisdictions but removed it following criticism and inaccuracies.
Even as the news cycle inundates with constant developments on immigration policy, recent weeks have seen an extraordinary pace of changes. For example, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran incorrectly deported, was recently allowed to return to the U.S. to face charges related to human smuggling. Additionally, arrests of people attending hearings to rectify their legal status have become frequent nationwide. Furthermore, a travel ban across 19 countries took effect, intensifying the nation’s immigration challenges.