US military deployments in Los Angeles spark political backlash amid nationwide immigration protests

LOS ANGELES: Hundreds of US Marines will soon move into Los Angeles, a military official said on Wednesday (Jun 11), as protests over President Donald Trump’s immigration raids continued to spread across the country.

The Marines, currently undergoing refresher training in riot and crowd control, are expected to enter the city “soon” but not on Wednesday, said US Army Major General Scott Sherman. Their deployment comes amid a wider military mobilisation by Trump, who has dispatched National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

TENSIONS RISE IN MAJOR US CITIES

The protests, initially concentrated in California, have expanded to cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott said he would deploy the National Guard ahead of planned demonstrations, following clashes between police and protesters in Austin earlier this week.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass imposed a limited curfew in the downtown area after some looting incidents. Local police made mass arrests on Tuesday night, saying some demonstrators defied the curfew order. While most protests remained peaceful, officials said the presence of federal troops inflamed tensions.

“This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation,” said Newsom, a Democrat widely seen as a potential presidential contender in 2028. He filed a lawsuit on Monday to block the troop deployment, which Trump has defended as necessary to maintain order.

MILITARY ROLE UNDER SCRUTINY

The 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops mobilised by Trump do not have arrest authority but are tasked with protecting government personnel and property. The Pentagon confirmed they would also be used to safeguard US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during immigration raids.

Photos posted by ICE on Tuesday showed National Guard troops standing armed while ICE officers arrested individuals in Los Angeles. California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned the operation could violate the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of the military in civilian law enforcement.

Sherman said the troops are authorised to detain individuals temporarily until law enforcement can intervene, if required to protect federal staff.

The last comparable deployment occurred in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots after the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King.

NATIONWIDE PROTESTS PLANNED

The protests are expected to intensify on Saturday, coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday and a military parade in Washington marking the US Army’s 250th anniversary. Tanks and armoured vehicles are set to roll through the capital.

A coalition named “No Kings” has organised events in over 1,800 locations nationwide to oppose what it describes as authoritarianism and the militarisation of US democracy. The group, comprising more than 100 civil rights organisations, said its goal is a “mass, nationwide protest rejecting billionaire-first politics.”

Trump has warned that protesters at the parade will be met with a “very big force,” with thousands of law enforcement officers deployed to manage security.

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT RAMPS UP

The Department of Homeland Security said ICE has recently averaged 2,000 arrests per day, significantly higher than the 311 daily average recorded in 2024. A major raid on a meatpacking facility in Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday resulted in the detention of up to 80 people, in what DHS called the largest workplace enforcement action in the state during Trump’s presidency.

The company involved, Glenn Valley Foods, said it was unaware of any violations and had complied with immigration regulations.

Trump’s campaign has centred on a promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. He claimed the military presence in Los Angeles has prevented violence from spiralling, a statement disputed by local officials.

“This situation did not require federal troops,” said Mayor Bass. “Our officers are equipped to handle these events.”