Site icon The Republican Standard

Report: 500 Marines Deployed To Los Angeles For Immigration Crisis

TRS Staff

President Donald J. Trump and Maj. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, commander of the 10th Mountain Division (LI), discuss an air assault and gun raid demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-009

Approximately 500 U.S. Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms have been deployed to the Los Angeles area in response to ongoing protests sparked by recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The Marines are tasked with supporting federal law enforcement and protecting federal facilities, including courthouses and detention centers. Their deployment follows President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the California National Guard and send 2,000 troops to Los Angeles without the state’s consent, invoking Title 10 of the U.S. Code.
As The Wall Street Journal reports:
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The decision to send active duty forces into a U.S. city marked an escalation of the use of military troops to quell domestic unrest and came over the objections of California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has called the federal intervention an intrusion on state sovereignty.
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The troops, which could arrive in the Los Angeles area as soon as tonight, will be under the U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in North America. The Marines are among the troops Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said over the weekend were prepared to deploy on orders.

Legal and Political Controversy

Newsom announced plans to sue the Trump administration earlier on Monday, arguing that the deployment of both the National Guard and active-duty Marines without state approval violates constitutional principles and state sovereignty. The governor contends that the federalization of the National Guard and the use of active-duty military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes are unlawful, citing the Posse Comitatus Act and the lack of invocation of the Insurrection Act.

Escalating Unrest

The protests, which began on June 6, 2025, in response to aggressive ICE operations, have escalated into widespread demonstrations across Los Angeles County, including cities like Paramount and Compton. Clashes between protesters and law enforcement have resulted in injuries on both sides, with reports of vandalism, arson, and looting. The deployment of federal troops has intensified tensions, with civil rights groups and local officials expressing concern over the militarization of the response to civil unrest.

Federal Justification and Response

The Trump administration has defended the deployments as necessary to restore order and protect federal property amid what it describes as “insurrectionist mobs.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the National Guard and Marines stand with ICE in enforcing immigration laws. However, critics argue that the use of military forces in this context sets a dangerous precedent and undermines democratic norms.
Exit mobile version