L.A. Immigration Protests Spark U.S. Marine Deployment
(MENAFN) Approximately 200 U.S. Marines have been sent to Los Angeles to secure a federal facility amid ongoing protests sparked by the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement in the region, the military announced Friday.
According to U.S. Army Major General Scott Sherman, commander of Task Force 51, the deployed marines have completed specialized training for civil disturbances. Task Force 51 oversees more than 4,000 California Army National Guard troops and roughly 700 marines.
Despite their presence, Sherman emphasized that marines will not participate in law enforcement activities.
Several marines were seen stationed outside the Wilshire Federal Building, a prominent 17-story government complex on Wilshire Boulevard that houses several federal offices, including the FBI's Los Angeles field division.
The deployment follows President Donald Trump’s directive to send over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 marines to the area, a move made over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and city officials.
In a statement issued Wednesday, U.S. Northern Command confirmed that about 2,800 personnel—comprising 2,100 National Guard soldiers and the full 700-strong marine unit—were actively being deployed across greater Los Angeles. The command noted that the Marines had completed all required readiness training and were scheduled to integrate with National Guard units within 48 hours.
Sources report that the Marines underwent civil disturbance preparedness drills at the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Orange County, located just south of Los Angeles.
Tensions flared further Thursday night after a federal appeals court swiftly overturned a lower court’s order that would have returned control of the California National Guard back to the state. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay mere hours after U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that the Trump administration's federalization of the Guard violated constitutional limits.
The appeals court’s decision permits the continued federal command of the National Guard in California, signaling a deepening legal clash between the state and the federal government.
The dramatic turn capped a day of intense legal wrangling as California pushed back against what officials have called an unprecedented federal takeover of state-controlled military forces.
Protests erupted across Southern California last week in response to a series of immigration raids conducted by federal agents. Authorities report that hundreds have been arrested, with demonstrations expected to grow over the weekend both locally and nationwide.
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