In a significant and contentious development, Los Angeles is preparing for the arrival of 700 U.S. Marines on Tuesday, a deployment described by many residents and officials as unprecedented in nature amid ongoing protests against federal immigration raids.
The deployment of these active-duty troops is occurring against a backdrop of intense civil unrest, with local leaders and advocates expressing concern about potential violations of law and civil liberties.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has characterized the military’s presence as an unwanted “experiment,” calling it a situation no one consented to.
Military officials assert that the Marines will work in tandem with National Guard units under the designation of “Task Force 51” and focus on providing support for federal personnel and property.
Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot emphasized the limited role of the Marines, stating that they are not law enforcement officers and do not possess arrest powers.
“They are not law enforcement officers, and they do not have the authority to make arrests,” Guillot explained.
Despite their training in crowd control and de-escalation, experts warn that the Marines may face challenges due to the unclear objectives of their deployment.
“Marines are trained to fight, that’s the first thing they’re trained to do,” remarked Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at Defense Priorities.
Concerns have been raised about how well the core training of the Marines will translate to the current civil situation.
Kavanagh noted, “In a crisis, when they’re forced to make a snap decision, do they have enough training and experience to make the one that de-escalates the situation rather than escalates it? I think that’s a question mark.”
This mobilization comes as President Donald Trump and his administration have pledged to crack down on violence associated with protests, referring to participants as “rioters, looters and thugs.”
Further complicating matters, California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the troops’ deployment as a “blatant abuse of power” and has initiated legal action to halt it.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell also expressed grave concerns, warning that the unwanted influx of Marines without clear coordination could create operational challenges for local law enforcement.
“We have been charged with safeguarding this city and, absent clear coordination, the prospect of Marines descending on Los Angeles presents a significant logistical and operational challenge,” McDonnell stated.
Gen. Guillot sought to reassure the public, claiming that coordinating efforts with other agencies has not posed any issues thus far.
“I think people understand that we’re there for a very specific purpose,” he asserted, underscoring the military’s training and discipline.
As of Tuesday afternoon, all 700 Marines had arrived in the Greater Los Angeles area, with military vehicles noted at various locations under police escort.
The Marine troops will be stationed across several facilities throughout the region, including places like Seal Beach and Los Alamitos.
Guillot mentioned that the Marines are expected to begin their ground mobilization shortly as training wraps up.
Historically, the deployment of Marines within U.S. cities is exceedingly rare.
The last significant instance occurred in April 1992 following riots in Los Angeles prompted by the acquittal of four LAPD officers for their brutal assault on Rodney G. King.
President George H.W. Bush deployed federal troops at the request of state officials during those riots, marking a stark contrast to the current situation, where there has been no such formal request.
The legal implications of the Marines’ deployment have come under scrutiny as well, with defense scholar Abigail Hall asserting that it likely violates the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which restricts the use of federal troops for domestic law enforcement without congressional sanction or a presidential invocation of the Insurrection Act.
The Insurrection Act has not been invoked by President Trump, which further complicates the legality of the current operation.
“I don’t see any way that this is not a direct violation of the Posse Comitatus Act,” Hall stated, emphasizing that the National Guard would generally be the appropriate force in such a scenario.
Kavanagh echoed concerns about the unprecedented nature of this deployment amid domestic unrest, prompting questions about the clarity of the Marines’ mission and rules of engagement.
While recognizing the youthfulness of the Marine Corps members, Kavanagh also noted that their limited experience could pose challenges in managing civil unrest.
Stats from a 2022 Department of Defense report indicate that nearly 75% of active-duty enlisted Marines are under 25, with an average age profile that leans younger than their counterparts in the Army and Air Force.
Yet Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute underscored that despite their youth, Marines are rigorously trained in de-escalation tactics thanks to recent military engagements abroad.
“The wars that the United States has been fighting for the last 25 years have required incredible discipline on the use of force by the military in Afghanistan and in Iraq in particular, so they are trained for de-escalating conflict,” Schake argued.
Despite this, Schake expressed greater concern over the potential implications of the federal response, highlighting the risk of escalating tensions and the perception of creeping authoritarianism.
“The way the president, that Homeland secretary, the secretary of Defense, and the White House press spokesman are talking is incendiary and reckless,” she stated.
Schake added that framing Los Angeles as unsafe and criminalizing its residents only serves to heighten anxieties during a sensitive period.
The deployment of Marines to Los Angeles has drawn widespread scrutiny, not only for its legality and implications for civil liberties but also for the risks it poses on the ground during a time of heightened emotion and unrest.
As the Marines prepare to engage in their mission, both the public and military experts will be closely watching how this unprecedented deployment unfolds in the coming days.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-10/marines-in-streets-of-l-a-bring-peril
