In a significant development, 2,000 National Guard troops who were deployed to Los Angeles more than a month ago to address protests related to immigration enforcement are being released from their federal duty.
The deployment of these troops was initiated by President Donald Trump in early June and quickly became a contentious issue between his administration and local authorities in California. Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass openly opposed the activation, arguing that it was unnecessary for the safety of the city.
According to Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Sean Parnell, the decision to release the Guard members comes amid reports of decreasing lawlessness in Los Angeles. “Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding,” Parnell stated on Tuesday. He confirmed that the Secretary of Defense has ordered the release of 2,000 members of the California National Guard, specifically the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), from their federal mission.
Initially, the National Guard was deployed to protect federal properties, such as the downtown Los Angeles federal detention center, and to support federal immigration agents during enforcement operations. Mayor Bass celebrated the news of the withdrawal, framing it as a victory for the people of Los Angeles who organized protests and legal challenges against the Trump administration’s decision.
“We’ve had an important victory, I think, because Los Angeles stood strong,” Bass said on Tuesday. “We organized peaceful protests, we came together at rallies, we took the Trump administration to court — all of this led to today’s retreat.”
In her remarks, Bass reiterated her stance that the military presence was unnecessary. “Their primary mission here was to guard two buildings that frankly didn’t need to be guarded,” she noted. Bass pointed out that the deployment of National Guard troops forced them to leave their families and disrupt their lives unnecessarily.
The controversy over the federalization of the National Guard began when violent incidents erupted during immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles. Local law enforcement faced challenges managing the protests, which were predominantly peaceful, but escalated in certain areas.
As part of the ongoing legal battles between California and the federal government, a three-judge panel ruled in June that President Trump likely acted within his legal authority to federalize the National Guard without obtaining prior consent from Governor Newsom. This ruling halted a lower court’s decision that had found the President’s actions illegal.
In the backdrop of this deployment, California faced high risks from fast-moving wildfires as it entered the hot summer months. Governor Newsom had raised concerns over the inadequacy of National Guard resources due to the Los Angeles deployment, pointing out the crucial role these troops play in wildfire prevention and firefighting as part of Joint Task Force Rattlesnake.
The National Guard and active-duty Marines were primarily stationed to protect federal buildings, raising questions among members of Congress regarding the necessity and efficacy of their priorities.
President Trump has repeatedly described the border situation as an “invasion,” reinforcing his administration’s commitment to a mass deportation plan. The recent immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles formed part of that aggressive strategy, with a focus on individuals with violent crime convictions. Captured in these raids were asylum seekers, migrants who had overstayed their visas, and many awaiting their appearances in immigration court.
According to data obtained from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, over 185,000 individuals were arrested during immigration enforcement operations across the nation from October to early June. Notably, only about 0.4% of those arrests pertained to individuals with murder convictions, while 1.8% were linked to sexual assault charges. More alarmingly, almost 42% of those arrested had no criminal history in the United States.
California represents a significant portion of the nation’s immigrant population, with approximately 10.6 million immigrants residing in the state. Among them, more than 2.6 million are undocumented, a figure that is likely higher when considering recent reports from the Department of Homeland Security.
Within Los Angeles County, home to about 3.5 million immigrants — constituting roughly 35% of the county’s total population — there are approximately 809,000 undocumented immigrants. This demographic has been at the center of the controversies surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the state.
As the federal troops are withdrawn, the political discourse surrounding immigration policy continues to fuel division and debate across California and the nation. The withdrawal marks not just a change in military presence but also symbolizes the ongoing clash between local authorities and federal immigration strategies.
image source from：nbclosangeles
