Trump deploys Marines to Los Angeles amid ongoing immigration protest unrest

Marines arrive in LA under Trump orders as protests spread to other cities By Reuters

Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in Los Angeles overnight, with more expected on Tuesday, following President Donald Trump’s order to bolster federal response to growing protests. 

Trump has also activated 4,000 National Guard troops, despite opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials.

The protests, sparked by a series of federal immigration raids launched last Friday, have continued for days. Local authorities noted that Monday’s demonstrations were largely peaceful.

Approximately half of the 700 Marines ordered to Los Angeles arrived Monday night, with the remainder expected on Tuesday, according to a U.S. official speaking to Reuters. The military has not yet publicly commented.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told KABC that over 100 people were arrested Monday, though the majority of demonstrators were nonviolent. However, over the weekend, some protesters clashed with law enforcement, throwing objects and setting vehicles on fire. Police responded with crowd control measures including pepper balls, flashbangs, and tear gas.

President Trump defended the deployment, describing the protests as a violent occupation—an assessment rejected by Newsom and Bass, who called it a gross exaggeration.

Governor Newsom criticized the move, saying the presence of National Guard troops has only escalated tensions and complicated local police response efforts. He also filed a lawsuit on Monday, arguing that deploying the National Guard without the governor’s approval is unlawful—marking a rare federal intervention in state affairs.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said his department had not been notified of the Marines' arrival and raised concerns about the logistical and operational implications of their deployment.

While the Marines are reportedly assigned only to guard federal facilities until the full contingent of Guard troops arrives, the use of active-duty military for domestic unrest remains highly unusual.

“This is not about safety—it’s about boosting a reckless president’s ego,” Newsom posted Monday on X (formerly Twitter).

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was “deeply concerned” by the use of active-duty troops. “From the beginning, Americans have been clear: military forces should not be used for domestic law enforcement,” he said.

On Truth Social Tuesday morning, Trump claimed that without the troop deployment, “Los Angeles would be burning to the ground right now.”

Nationwide Demonstrations Continue

The immigration raids have drawn widespread condemnation from Democrats and immigrant rights groups, who argue they are indiscriminately targeting families.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday that more operations would follow. The Trump administration has blamed local and state Democratic leaders, especially those promoting sanctuary city policies, for enabling undocumented immigrants.

In Los Angeles, hundreds gathered outside a federal detention center downtown on Monday, chanting “free them all” and waving flags from Mexico and Central America. National Guard personnel formed a barrier to keep demonstrators back. Police later used tear gas to disperse crowds and made arrests.

Clashes continued into the evening in the city’s Little Tokyo area, with law enforcement deploying flashbangs and tear gas. Observers watched from balconies and hotel windows as the unrest unfolded below.

Protests spread to Orange County on Monday evening, where demonstrators assembled outside the Santa Ana Federal Building. At least nine other cities—including New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Austin—also saw protests, with confrontations between demonstrators and police reported in several locations.

In Austin, police used non-lethal rounds and detained several individuals during a protest involving several hundred participants.