In Los Angeles, a situation unfolded on Friday when U.S. Marines, newly tasked with guarding a federal building, detained a man on the premises. The individual, identified as Marcos Leao, walked onto the property and failed to comprehend their immediate command to halt.
This event marked a significant occurrence as it was the first instance of federal troops detaining a civilian since their deployment to the city by President Donald Trump. This deployment was in response to ongoing protests regarding immigration arrests by the administration. Although the Marines started their activities on Friday, they had been mobilized earlier in the week.
Leao was eventually released with no charges filed, acknowledging that the Marines were simply fulfilling their duties. A representative from U.S. Army North clarified that the troops possess the authority to temporarily detain individuals under specific conditions. The detainment ends once the individual can be handed over to “appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel.”
Leao’s encounter highlights how the military presence in cities brings them closer to potentially engaging in law enforcement activities. Concurrently, National Guard soldiers have already been participating in raids, aligned with Trump’s stringent immigration policies.
Former Army combat engineer Leao explained that he had accidentally stepped over a caution line as he hurried to a Veterans Affairs appointment and initially didn’t hear the Marines due to his headphones. “I had my headphones in, so I didn’t hear them,” he shared. “They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.”
He recounted being restrained using zip ties and detained for over two hours by the Marines alongside members of the National Guard. The situation resolved when the Los Angeles police arrived and released him without charges. A police spokesperson confirmed their presence at the call but mentioned that no intervention or charges were necessary.
“I didn’t know it was going to be this intense here,” Leao stated reflecting on the experience. A U.S. official, preferring to stay anonymous, mentioned that the civilian had overstepped boundaries and was subsequently warned and subdued by the Marines.
The recent arrival of about 200 Marines joins the 2,000 National Guard members who have been stationed around Los Angeles federal buildings throughout the week. An additional 2,000 Guard members were informed of deployment earlier, broadening the military presence in the city.
This unusual deployment led the Pentagon to quickly set rules that guide U.S. Marines faced with the complex situation of potentially using force against citizens within American soil. Their training has included de-escalation techniques, crowd control, and rules governing the use of force.
These deployments, nonetheless, raise challenging questions. Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps prosecutor and military judge, remarked, “I believe that this is an inevitable precursor of things yet to come when you put troops with guns right next to civilians who are doing whatever they do.” He suggests it’s indicative of efforts by Trump to challenge the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts active-duty military from performing law enforcement roles.
The unfolding situation in Los Angeles underlines the tension between military duties in civilian areas and longstanding legal frameworks designed to delineate military engagement on U.S. soil.