Trump deploys Marines to Los Angeles as immigration arrest protests escalate: ‘Strike harder than ever’

LOS ANGELES, June 11 — President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of active-duty U.S. Marines along with an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, vowing a tougher crackdown on protests sparked by immigration arrests.

The move, which marks a rare and controversial use of military force on American soil, came on the fourth day of protests following the arrest of dozens of individuals in a city with a significant foreign-born and Latino population. In total, 700 active-duty troops and thousands of National Guard personnel have been mobilized.

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the decision, writing on X: “US Marines shouldn’t be deployed on American soil against fellow Americans to serve the authoritarian fantasies of a President. This is un-American.”

The latest deployments followed unrest in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend, where demonstrators torched vehicles and looted businesses. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Monday's protests were largely peaceful by comparison, although tensions remained high.

Outside a federal detention center, protesters chanted “Pigs go home!” at National Guard troops, while some banged on the sides of passing unmarked vehicles. One local small business owner, whose shop was vandalized, voiced support for the heavy-handed response: “I think it’s needed to stop the vandalism,” she said, declining to be named.

Others were deeply disturbed by the military presence. “They’re supposed to protect us, but now they’re being sent to turn on us,” said 47-year-old Kelly Diemer. “This doesn’t feel like a democracy anymore.”

In nearby Santa Ana, about 32 miles southwest of Los Angeles, law enforcement used tear gas and flash-bang grenades against protesters chanting anti-ICE slogans as night fell.

Speaking in Washington, Trump labeled the demonstrators “professional agitators and insurrectionists,” claiming they had spat at troops. “If they keep it up,” he warned on social media, “they’ll be hit harder than ever before.”

Despite some instances of violence, officials emphasized that most protests had been peaceful. Life in Los Angeles largely continued as usual on Monday, with schools remaining open and most areas unaffected.

Mayor Karen Bass disputed Trump’s depiction, noting, “This is limited to a few streets. It’s not a citywide crisis.”

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell added that local authorities had the situation under control and warned that the federal deployment posed coordination risks. “Bringing in military forces without proper coordination creates confusion and logistical problems during critical moments,” he told reporters.

Over two days, 56 people were arrested and five officers sustained minor injuries, according to LAPD officials. In San Francisco, about 60 individuals were detained during related protests.

Similar demonstrations occurred in New York City and Austin, Texas, where police made arrests and used tear gas to disperse crowds near federal buildings.

Legal experts noted the rarity of such a military deployment. Rachel VanLandingham, a professor at Southwestern Law School and former U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, said the last time National Guard troops were deployed over a governor's objections was in 1965 during the civil rights movement.

Under U.S. law, using military personnel for domestic law enforcement is largely prohibited except in cases of insurrection. VanLandingham warned of the risks, explaining that Marines are trained for combat, not civilian policing. “What does ‘protect’ mean to a heavily armed Marine who hasn’t trained with local law enforcement? It’s a command and control nightmare,” she told AFP via email.

According to U.S. Northern Command, about 1,700 National Guard troops were already stationed in Los Angeles as of late Monday. The Pentagon confirmed that Trump had authorized an additional 2,000 troops, seemingly expanding the federal presence even further. — AFP