Trump deploys U.S Marines to Los Angeles

The Trump administration has deployed U.S. Marines to Los Angeles. The controversial move to support ongoing immigration raids has drawn sharp criticism from local leaders and intensified public protests. 700 Marines from Southern California bases were expected in the city between Monday night and Tuesday morning, temporarily filling in until a larger force of 4,000 National Guard troops can be mobilized.

Federal officials say the deployment is aimed at protecting federal buildings and personnel as demonstrations against the raids enter their fourth day. California leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, say they never requested military help and have filed a lawsuit against the administration. They claim the move violates both state sovereignty and federal law.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the crackdown, promising more raids to arrest undocumented immigrants across the state. She blamed local and state Democrats for what she called “lawless” protests and accused them of protecting undocumented residents through sanctuary city policies.

President Trump has threatened legal action against California’s leadership, even suggesting the arrest of Governor Newsom for defying federal orders. The remarks have deepened political tensions nationwide, with Democratic lawmakers warning that the president is overstepping his authority. Senator Jack Reed, a top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, called the military deployment “dangerous and unprecedented.”

Late Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles. Police in riot gear used gas canisters and non-lethal rounds to break up the crowd. National Guard members had earlier formed a human barricade to block access to the building. The scenes mark a dramatic escalation in a conflict that many fear could spark a broader national crisis.