U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff have requested a detailed breakdown of National Guard and Marine deployments in Los Angeles. The request, sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, follows recent protests against immigration enforcement in the city. The California Senators, both Democrats, expressed concerns that these deployments were unnecessary and potentially illegal, citing similar operations in other U.S. cities.
The deployments, ordered by President Trump in June, involved over 4,100 National Guard troops and 700 Marines, despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. According to the Los Angeles Times, a federal judge recently ruled that these actions violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in civilian law enforcement. The Trump administration plans to appeal the decision.
Padilla and Schiff have asked for specifics on the military’s role, including costs, units involved, and any law enforcement activities. They have requested this information by September 12. The Department of Defense has not yet commented publicly but stated it would respond directly to the senators.
The senators argue that using the military for immigration enforcement harms the relationship between the public and the military. President Trump and his administration maintain that the deployments were necessary to maintain order and protect federal property and personnel during the protests.
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