2,000 National Guard Members Deployed By Trump With 700 U.S. Marines To Potentially Follow After Immigration Protest 

Protests across Los Angeles over aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations have prompted an escalated federal response, with the Trump administration deploying 2,000 National Guard troops and confirming the imminent arrival of 700 U.S. Marines. The Marines, from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines stationed at Twentynine Palms, were placed on standby by U.S. Northern Command and are now expected in LA within 24 hours. President Trump, when asked by ABC News if he planned to send in Marines, replied, “We’ll see what happens,” before adding, “I think it would have been a very bad situation. It was heading in the wrong direction. It’s now heading in the right direction.”

The White House framed the military deployment as a necessary action to restore order amid what it called “lawlessness.” National Guard troops are reportedly armed but operating without rounds in the chamber and are not using rubber bullets or pepper spray. Their mission, according to U.S. officials, includes de-escalation and self-defense.

The protests were sparked by a series of ICE operations across the city, including in the Fashion District, which reportedly led to the detention of hundreds, including children. The ACLU of Southern California confirmed widespread panic and mass detentions. Tensions further intensified outside the Edward Roybal Federal Building, where federal agents were filmed deploying smoke projectiles at demonstrators. In Paramount, confusion erupted again when ICE was accused of conducting another raid—though local officials denied that one took place.

California leaders have condemned the federal crackdown. Governor Gavin Newsom called the military deployment “purposefully inflammatory” and said there was “no unmet need” justifying the action. LA Mayor Karen Bass criticized ICE’s tactics, calling them “terrorizing” and disruptive to the city’s safety.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers trying to conduct oversight were blocked from entering detention centers in both California and New York. In LA, Reps. Maxine Waters, Jimmy Gomez, and Norma Torres were denied entry to the Metropolitan Detention Center. Gomez, who attempted entry alongside Torres, stated, “This is really to prevent us from doing our jobs,” alleging they were met with chemical irritants.

In a CNN video, Waters is shown having the facility door slammed in her face. Similarly, Reps. Judy Chu, Gilbert Cisneros Jr., and Derek Tran were turned away from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, and in New York, Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velázquez were barred from a Manhattan facility. DHS later claimed these lawmakers posed a safety risk due to “ongoing operations” and “rioters,” though several videos contradict that claim.

This militarized response, paired with secrecy around detention conditions, has only deepened fears within immigrant communities. Mayor Bass declared, “We will not stand for this.” In times of unrest, the answer should not be military force—it should be policies that prioritize dignity, transparency, and compassion for immigrant families who are essential to the social and economic fabric of this country.

Link: ABC 7