Donald Trump to Deploy 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles: Reports

Hundreds of U.S. Marines are heading to Los Angeles to support the National Guard amid the ongoing protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, according to reports.

The Marines were due to arrive in the city on the evening of Monday, June 9, following orders from President Trump, reported the Associated Press and the BBC.

The AP stated that a further 2,000 National Guard troops were heading to L.A. as the protests continued. The Guardian added that the U.S. military was temporarily deploying the Marines until more National Guard troops could arrive in the city.

An initial 2,000 National Guard troops started arriving in the area on Sunday, June 8.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit over the use of National Guard troops following the initial deployment, per the AP.

The Trump administration’s latest move follows rising tensions between protesters and authorities across the city amid the ICE raids. According to The Guardian, Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement division has made as many as 2,000 arrests per day in recent days.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has been among those condemning Trump’s willingness to deploy Marines on U.S. soil, adding in a statement on X, “From our understanding, this is moving Marines from one base to another base. At this time, the information we have is that Marines are not being deployed (there is a difference between that and being mobilized).”

He continued: “The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented — mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens.”

The Marines will only participate in law enforcement activities once Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, according to two defense officials, granted anonymity to discuss internal operations, per Politico.

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The outlet noted that some of the Marines were coming from Twentynine Palms in the California desert, which is approximately 142 miles east of L.A.

The Los Angeles Times reported that 500 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton would be deployed to the city, a senior Trump administration official told the outlet. Camp Pendleton is 90 miles south of L.A.

Trump told reporters on Monday that the L.A. protesters “are insurrectionists.” Due to his language, it could allow him to invoke the Insurrection Act, meaning he would have the authority to use the Marines to respond to the protests in California and possibly elsewhere, according to The New York Times.

The AP reported that the U.S. Northern Command said the Marines would not perform law enforcement duties but would be deployed to protect federal property and personnel, including federal immigration agents.

Dozens of demonstrators were arrested over the weekend after the protests began on Friday, June 6. Tear gas had been among the things used by authorities to disperse crowds as residents of the predominantly Latino Paramount district clashed with ICE agents, the BBC reported.