In response to escalating protests over federal immigration raids in Los Angeles County, President Donald Trump on Monday evening ordered an additional 2,000 California National Guard troops to be placed under federal control.
The new deployment follows a weekend of intensifying demonstrations and brings the total number of federally controlled personnel in the region to over 4,700, including National Guard soldiers and active-duty Marines.
“At the order of the President, the Department of War is mobilizing an additional 2,000 California National Guard to be called into federal service to support ICE & to enable federal law-enforcement officers to safely conduct their duties,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced via a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The decision to increase the federal military presence in the area comes just hours after roughly 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, based at Twentynine Palms, California, were also deployed to the county.
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According to U.S. Northern Command, these forces were activated to ensure an “adequate numbers of forces” in support of federal efforts, primarily to protect federal property and personnel.
The surge in deployments has sparked controversy and concerns over coordination with local authorities.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell emphasized that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is capable of handling the ongoing demonstrations without federal intervention.
He also raised logistical concerns, stating the arrival of federal Marines without consultation with local law enforcement created a “logistical and operational challenge.”
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As of Monday evening, approximately 1,700 soldiers from California’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were already on the ground in Los Angeles County, according to Northern Command figures.
Of the 2,100 Guard members placed under federal control, the majority are concentrated in downtown Los Angeles — the focal point of the protests.
These troops have primarily remained on federal property, equipped with riot shields, while LAPD has continued to take the lead in managing street-level protest activity.
The unrest in Los Angeles began Friday, June 6, after federal agents conducted a series of immigration raids across the county.
While initially small, the protests rapidly grew over the weekend in both size and intensity. Reports of law enforcement deploying tear gas and less-lethal munitions to disperse demonstrators further fueled tensions.
In response, President Trump announced on Saturday, June 7, that he would deploy the National Guard. The first wave of 300 soldiers arrived the following morning.
The federalization of additional troops, however, has drawn sharp criticism from California officials. Governor Gavin Newsom publicly condemned the move, citing concerns about preparedness and necessity.
“The first 2,000? Given no food or water. Only approx. 300 are deployed — the rest are sitting, unused, in federal buildings without orders,” Newsom wrote in a statement on X.
California’s opposition has now escalated into legal action.
On Monday, the state filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the federal government “unlawfully bypassed” Governor Newsom in assuming control over the state’s National Guard troops.
The deployment was authorized under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which allows the president to federalize National Guard units without state consent under certain conditions.
While the White House has defended its actions as necessary to ensure the safety of federal personnel and infrastructure amid the volatile protests, critics argue the move represents federal overreach and risks further inflaming tensions in a region already on edge.
As demonstrations continue into a fourth day and the number of uniformed personnel grows in the streets of Los Angeles, the long-term implications of the federal intervention remain unclear.
For now, the city stands as the latest flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement and the use of federal authority in domestic civil unrest.
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