US Marines are set to join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within the next 48 hours, officials said on Wednesday, with orders allowing them to detain individuals who interfere with immigration raids or confront federal agents during ongoing protests.
The deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump, has sparked a nationwide debate over the domestic use of the military. California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed the move, calling it unnecessary and inflammatory. Protests, which began in Los Angeles in response to recent immigration raids, have now spread to cities including New York, Atlanta, and Chicago.
Wednesday marked the sixth consecutive day of demonstrations in Los Angeles. While most have remained peaceful, isolated incidents of violence have occurred, primarily confined to a few downtown blocks. Trump initially called in the National Guard on Saturday and, by Monday, had authorised the deployment of Marines.
“If I didn’t act quickly on that, Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now,” Trump said during remarks at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
State and city officials have rejected that claim, accusing the president of inflaming tensions with what they describe as an illegal and provocative use of federal troops. National Democratic leaders have condemned the action as authoritarian.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move, saying, “President Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history, and left-wing riots will not deter him in that effort.”
On Wednesday, the US military confirmed that a 700-member Marine battalion had completed mission-specific training focused on de-escalation and crowd control. The troops will be deployed under Title 10 authority, which governs federal military involvement, to protect federal personnel and property, not to conduct general law enforcement.
“Title 10 forces may temporarily detain an individual in specific circumstances such as to stop an assault, to prevent harm to others, or to prevent interference with federal personnel performing their duties,” US Northern Command stated.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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