Trump's tough action on violence in Los Angeles: 700 Marine commandos and 4000 National Guards deployed, Governor Newsom called it 'unconstitutional'
Protests and violence begin
Protests in Los Angeles began on Friday, June 6, when ICE detained more than 118 alleged illegal immigrants in raids in the city's Fashion District, a Home Depot parking lot and other locations. The raids sparked anger in local communities, with protesters taking to the streets. The protests took a violent turn on Saturday, when some demonstrators threw rocks and reportedly Molotov cocktails at ICE agents, and set self-driving cars on fire. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.
Trump's military deployment
Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday in what he described as a move to "restore law and order." On Monday, he doubled that number to 4,000 and also sent in 700 Marine commandos, based in Twentynine Palms, California. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Marines are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and 1st Marine Division, whose job is to protect federal property and ICE agents. Marines do not have the authority to make arrests, but they can temporarily detain violent protesters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “We have an obligation to ensure the safety of ICE agents, even if Governor Newsom does not do so.” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “If we had not sent the troops, Los Angeles would have been completely destroyed.”
California protests and lawsuit
Governor Newsom called the military deployment a “federal overreach” and an “assault on democracy.” He wrote on X, “2,000 National Guard troops have not been given food or water, and only 300 are active. The rest are sitting in federal buildings without orders.” Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, saying the National Guard deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the use of military forces in civilian law enforcement.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said “this deployment is an intentional attempt to sow chaos.” She imposed an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in the city’s downtown. Police Chief Jim McDonnell said no formal notice of the Marines’ deployment was given, adding to “logistical challenges.”
Nature of protests and arrests
The protests on Monday remained peaceful, with thousands attending a union rally at City Hall and hundreds demonstrating outside the Federal Detention Center, where detained immigrants are held. As of Tuesday, 197 people had been arrested, many of them for violent acts. Protesters waved Mexican flags and Trump masks in what Trump adviser Stephen Miller described as an “insurrection with foreign flags.”
Global and local reaction
California's military deployment has drawn global attention. Australian journalist Lauren Tomassi and a British photographer were hit by rubber bullets, prompting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call it "unacceptable". Senator Chuck Schumer accused Trump of "political spectacle".
Past examples and historical context
2,000 National Guard and 1,500 Marines were deployed to quell riots in Los Angeles following the Rodney King case in 1992, in which 63 people were killed. Lack of coordination between the Marines and the LAPD at the time escalated the violence. The current deployment is believed to be the first deployment of the National Guard without the governor's consent since 1965.
Conclusion
Trump's military deployment in Los Angeles has exposed deep divisions over immigration policies. Newsom and Bass claim local police could have handled the situation, while the Trump administration is calling it an "insurrection". The 9th Circuit Court on Thursday allowed Trump to continue deploying the National Guard, but the case remains in court. Will this deployment restore peace, or further escalate tensions? This question is important for America's domestic politics and global image.
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