The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that a Marine battalion will be sent to Los Angeles as part of President Donald Trump’s response to ongoing protests against anti-immigration enforcement measures.
The deployment involves 700 Marines, aimed at protecting federal personnel and property in the city, following the earlier mobilization of the National Guard.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced that an additional 2,000 National Guard troops would also be activated.
California state officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, have expressed strong opposition to these deployments, and Newsom has initiated a legal challenge against the use of the National Guard.
The military described the Marines’ activation as essential for providing continuous support to federal agencies in the region.
An unnamed official from the Trump administration indicated that the Marines would only assist the National Guard and local law enforcement.
Despite these developments, the administration has not yet invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would allow military involvement in domestic law enforcement beyond traditional roles.
President Trump commented just prior to the announcements, indicating his openness to deploying Marines but also acknowledging that the protests were heading in a positive direction.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Rob Reynolds, reported from Los Angeles that the protests organized by union groups in the downtown area remained peaceful.
The National Guard deployed over the weekend had a minimal presence during these protests, primarily guarding federal buildings, raising concerns about the necessity of Marine deployment.
Reynolds further pointed out a critical distinction between the National Guard, generally composed of part-time reservists and serving state-based roles, and the Marines, typically engaged in combat operations overseas.
The deployment of Marines within U.S. cities is unprecedented and tends to evoke strong reactions given its historical implications.
Governor Newsom’s office clarified that the Marines were being relocated to a base near Los Angeles rather than being positioned on the streets, but still criticized the escalation as unjustified.
“This level of escalation is completely unwarranted,” said Newsom, characterizing the actions as an overreach of federal authority.
The state’s lawsuit asserts that Trump’s legal justification for deploying the National Guard requires the consent of the state’s governor, which Newsom has not provided.
Trump indicated that he would support taking action against Newsom for impeding immigration enforcement.
This marked the first time since 1965 that a president deployed the National Guard contrary to a governor’s wishes, reminiscent of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s actions to secure civil rights demonstrators in Alabama.
Protests against the administration’s crackdown and broader immigration policies persisted on Monday, particularly near sites of recent ICE raids.
Perla Rios, an Indigenous community leader, spoke at a protest outside Ambiance Apparel in Los Angeles, calling for legal representation for those detained by immigration agents.
The atmosphere, as described by Rios, reflected the ordeal faced by affected families, which she referred to as a “nightmare.”
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organized protests across the nation in response to the administration’s approach to the demonstrations.
The SEIU demanded the immediate release of its California president, David Huerta, who was arrested during an immigration raid on charges related to obstructing enforcement operations.
Their statement called for an end to ICE raids, asserting that they fracture communities nationwide.
Rallying cry echoed from Massachusetts to California, calling for unity against the administration’s policies.
In response to Trump’s recent travel restrictions affecting individuals from twelve countries, protests also bubbled up in New York City and Los Angeles.
Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, denounced these new policies as a continuation of earlier discriminatory measures that created fear and familial separation.
Such policies contribute greatly to a climate of fear, affecting countless communities across the nation.
As demonstrations continue, the growing tension between federal authority and state governance underscores ongoing national debates about immigration policy and civil rights.
image source from：https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/9/trump-to-activate-marines-to-respond-to-la-protests-in-major-escalation
