About 200 Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles to protect federal property and personnel, as announced by Major General Scott Sherman on Friday. The Marines will take over operations at the federal building in downtown Los Angeles at noon today, allowing National Guard troops to focus on protecting federal law enforcement agents. This move follows a temporary block by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a federal judge’s order that had directed President Donald Trump to return control of National Guard troops to California.
The deployment comes amid ongoing protests sparked by recent immigration raids. The demonstrations have been mostly peaceful, with only a few arrests for failing to disperse. However, there have been some serious charges, including assault against officers and possession of a Molotov cocktail and a gun. Nine officers have sustained minor injuries.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized the deployment as a “serious breach of state sovereignty” and a power grab by President Trump. He has taken legal action to stop it, arguing that it violates the Tenth Amendment. President Trump, however, cited a legal provision that allows him to mobilize federal service members when there is “a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.”
The Marines, who are trained to guard U.S. embassies overseas, are well-prepared to defend federal buildings. Major General Sherman emphasized that neither soldiers nor Marines will participate in law enforcement activities. As more demonstrations are expected over the weekend, other states are also considering troop deployments. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has put 5,000 National Guard members on standby, while other Republican-controlled states have not yet disclosed their plans.
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