Trump Administration Deploys Marines to Los Angeles, Ramps Up Immigration Raids Amid Protests and Legal Backlash
On Monday, the Trump administration ordered the deployment of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles and escalated immigration enforcement operations, sparking fierce backlash from protesters and Democratic officials who warned of a deepening national crisis.
Roughly 700 Marines stationed in Southern California were expected to arrive in Los Angeles by Monday night or Tuesday morning, according to officials. Their mission: to support efforts to control ongoing demonstrations against the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown—a central initiative of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Though the Marine presence is meant to be temporary, serving as a stopgap until 4,000 National Guard troops are fully mobilized, the move represents a highly unusual use of military force in a civilian law enforcement context. It has been met with resistance from state and city leaders, who were neither consulted nor in favor of the federal intervention.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed to intensify operations targeting undocumented immigrants, a campaign that has fueled protests nationwide. Trump officials have characterized the demonstrations as disorderly and placed blame on local Democratic leaders for fostering sanctuary policies and resisting federal immigration efforts.
The escalation in both military deployment and enforcement has further widened the divide between the two major political parties. President Trump, a Republican, threatened California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, with arrest over his opposition to federal immigration raids—an unprecedented suggestion echoed by Trump’s border policy adviser Tom Homan.
In response, California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday to block the deployment of both National Guard troops and Marines, arguing the move infringes on state sovereignty and violates federal law.
Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, voiced serious concern over the decision, accusing Trump of using the military as a political tool. “This kind of overreach undermines state authority and risks escalating tensions into a national emergency,” Reed warned. He emphasized that historically, Americans have rejected the idea of military forces taking on domestic policing roles.
The announcement of the Marine deployment came as protests entered their fourth day. On Monday night, law enforcement began dispersing crowds gathered outside a federal immigration detention center in downtown Los Angeles. Police confirmed arrests were made.
National Guard troops created a human barrier around the facility, while police advanced on the crowd using non-lethal measures like tear gas and flash bangs—tactics employed repeatedly since Friday.
Rare Military Role in Civil Unrest
The Marines, typically deployed abroad in combat zones, are rarely used on U.S. soil during civil unrest. Though the military has responded to domestic emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks, its use in civilian law enforcement situations is highly uncommon.
Even without invoking the Insurrection Act, President Trump can authorize such deployments under specific legal authorities as commander in chief. The last comparable action under the Insurrection Act occurred in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush sent troops to Los Angeles at the request of California’s governor during the Rodney King riots.
Governor Newsom insists the responsibility to deploy the National Guard lies with him and condemned Trump’s move as a blatant step toward authoritarianism. Trump, meanwhile, publicly supported Homan’s suggestion to arrest Newsom for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
Nationwide Protests Escalate
Demonstrations have spread beyond Los Angeles, erupting in at least nine other cities including New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas. In Austin, police clashed with protesters and detained several individuals after using non-lethal rounds to disperse the crowd.
In Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters assembled outside the detention center chanting slogans like “free them all,” waving Central American flags, and hurling insults at federal officers. As dusk fell, clashes spilled into the Little Tokyo neighborhood, where flash bangs and tear gas echoed through the streets while residents and tourists observed from balconies and hotel lobbies.
Homeland Security reported a dramatic surge in immigration arrests, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detaining around 2,000 individuals daily—more than six times the daily average under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“We carried out more operations today than yesterday, and tomorrow we’ll double that effort again,” Noem said on Fox News’ Hannity. “The more violence we see directed at law enforcement, the harder ICE will respond.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the crackdown on MSNBC, stating, “This is a city built by immigrants.” Noem fired back, claiming, “They’re not a city of immigrants. They’re a city of criminals.”
