In a significant move, United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles, effectively halving the federal troop presence in the city, according to the Pentagon.
This decision comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s earlier directive to deploy 4,000 National Guard members alongside 700 Marines in early June to assist with federal immigration raids.
The operation was initiated amid widespread protests sparked by immigration policies and enforcement tactics.
As reported by NBC Los Angeles, recent figures from the Department of Homeland Security indicate that these raids have resulted in the arrest of 2,792 undocumented immigrants.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell explained the withdrawal, stating that the move was based on the observation that ‘the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding.’
In response to this withdrawal, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass characterized it as a ‘retreat,’ crediting the collective efforts of the city’s residents who organized peaceful protests and engaged in legal actions opposing the federal response.
‘What happened today was a direct result of the people of Los Angeles standing united and strong,’ Bass expressed.
She highlighted the impact of the peaceful protests, rallies, and a significant lawsuit that the city joined, which ultimately resulted in a federal judge barring immigration officers from detaining individuals solely based on their race or for speaking Spanish.
Though federal troops deployed to the city are authorized to detain individuals posing threats to federal personnel or property, they cannot carry out arrests without police assistance.
California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom chimed in on the situation, remarking that despite the recent withdrawal, thousands of National Guard members remain federalized in Los Angeles without clear justification, thereby hampering their ability to fulfill key duties across the state.
He called for an end to this ‘theatre,’ urging federal authorities to repatriate all personnel.
The complexities surrounding the deployment have been exacerbated by legal challenges, with a US appeals court ruling allowing President Trump to maintain control over California’s National Guard.
This is noteworthy as it marks the first time since 1965 a president has deployed National Guard troops against the opposition of a state governor.
In late June, Newsom’s office indicated that California National Guard firefighting crews were operating at only 40 percent capacity due to the ongoing deployment, which hindered efforts as multiple fires occurred across the state following devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles, with its historical ties to the Mexican empire, has a significant population of Central and South American descent and is recognized as a ‘sanctuary’ city that offers asylum from deportation for many undocumented individuals.
President Trump aims to deport millions of undocumented individuals residing in the country and has intensified enforcement actions, including immigration raids at workplaces that had previously been exempt.
The administration continues to face numerous lawsuits challenging its immigration enforcement strategies.
In an escalated effort to address immigration issues, President Trump has increasingly relied on military involvement.
In addition to the troop deployment in Los Angeles, the White House has dispatched thousands of active-duty soldiers to the US-Mexico border, establishing military zones intended to facilitate the detention of migrants without requiring the instigation of the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows military use for civil disorder suppression.
image source from：aljazeera
