California is set to confront Washington in court on Thursday over President Donald Trump’s deployment of US troops in Los Angeles, as demonstrators once again took to the streets in major cities to protest Trump’s immigration crackdown. The military announced that approximately 700 US Marines would be present on the streets of Los Angeles by Thursday or Friday, reinforcing up to 4,000 National Guard troops to safeguard federal property and federal agents, including during immigration raids.
Trump’s decision to dispatch troops to Los Angeles, despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom, has ignited a nationwide debate concerning the use of military forces on US soil and further intensified political polarization across the country. Street protests have erupted in multiple cities beyond Los Angeles, including New York, Chicago, Washington, and San Antonio, Texas.
A federal judge in San Francisco will preside over arguments on Thursday as part of California’s lawsuit against Trump. The state is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the troops’ involvement in law enforcement activities. Ultimately, California aims for a court ruling that would return its National Guard to state control and declare Trump’s action illegal.
The Los Angeles protests commenced last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. In turn, Trump called in the National Guard on Saturday and subsequently summoned the Marines on Monday. Trump posted on social media on Thursday, “Los Angeles was safe and sound for the last two nights. Our great National Guard, with a little help from the Marines, put the LA Police in a position to effectively do their job. They all worked well together, but without the Military, Los Angeles would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years.”
State and local leaders dispute this assessment, asserting that Trump has only escalated tensions through an unnecessary deployment of federal troops, while national Democrats have condemned his actions as authoritarian. Trump is fulfilling a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that led to his two electoral victories.
Los Angeles endured a sixth day of protests on Wednesday, which have been largely peaceful but occasionally marked by instances of violence, primarily contained to a few blocks. In downtown LA, shortly before the second night of a curfew over a one-square-mile (2.5 square km) area on Wednesday night, police reported that demonstrators at one location threw commercial-grade fireworks and rocks at officers. Another group of nearly 1,000 demonstrators was peacefully marching through downtown when police abruptly deployed less-lethal munitions in front of City Hall.
Marlene Lopez, 39, a native of Los Angeles, was demonstrating as flash bangs detonated just a few meters away. “I am out here because of the fact that our human rights are being violated every day. If we give up, it’s over. We have to stand our ground here in LA so that the nation will follow us,” Lopez stated. An undetermined number of arrests were made, adding to the approximately 400 made in previous days.
New York police reported an unknown number of people taken into custody on Wednesday, after stating on Tuesday that 86 individuals had been detained, of whom 34 were arrested and charged, while the others received a criminal court summons. The protests are slated to expand on Saturday, with several activist groups planning over 1,800 anti-Trump demonstrations nationwide. On the same day, tanks and other armored vehicles will parade through the streets of Washington, D.C., as part of a military parade commemorating the US Army’s 250th anniversary, coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday.
Marines Trained for Crowd Control
US officials announced on Wednesday that Marines would join National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within 48 hours. They would be authorized to detain individuals who interfere with immigration officers during raids or protesters who confront federal agents. A battalion of 700 Marines has completed training specifically for the Los Angeles mission, including de-escalation techniques and crowd control, as stated by the US Northern Command.
The military clarified that the Marines would join the National Guard under the authority of Title 10, a federal law, not to conduct civilian policing but to protect federal officers and property. “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,” the Northern Command confirmed. US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who commands the task force comprising Marines and Guardsmen, informed reporters that while the Marines would not load their rifles with live ammunition, they would carry live rounds.
