Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area Tuesday on orders from President Donald Trump, following days of protests sparked by federal immigration raids. The move comes alongside the activation of 4,000 National Guard troops, a decision criticized by California Governor Gavin Newsom as politically driven and legally questionable.
According to military officials, the Marines—who do not have arrest authority—are tasked with protecting federal property and personnel. Roughly 700 Marines are currently staged for deployment, while 2,100 National Guard members are already present in the greater LA area, with more en route.
The Pentagon estimates the cost of the deployments at $134 million, covering travel, housing, and food. Bryn MacDonnell, serving in a comptroller role, noted the expense during testimony before lawmakers.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass downplayed the scale of the unrest, noting it was largely limited to a few downtown blocks. She distinguished between peaceful protesters supporting immigrant rights and a smaller group responsible for violence and looting. “I want to tell [Trump] to stop the raids,” she said. “This is a city of immigrants.”
President Trump defended the military presence, claiming it prevented widespread chaos. He has suggested invoking the Insurrection Act, which would permit the military to engage directly in civilian law enforcement—a move Newsom strongly opposes.
While most protests since Friday have been peaceful, some incidents involved rock-throwing, car fires, and blocked highways. Police responded with tear gas, pepper balls, and flash-bangs. Authorities reported over 180 arrests since Saturday, including 14 for looting and several for assaulting officers or attempting attacks with incendiary devices.
In the Little Tokyo neighborhood—one of the protest flashpoints—businesses were cleaning up damage from Monday night’s unrest. While sympathetic to the demonstrators’ cause, some residents voiced frustration over the vandalism. “I support the message,” said building manager Frank Chavez, “but the violence needs to stop.”
Trump’s decision to deploy active-duty Marines further intensified tensions with Newsom, who has filed a lawsuit arguing the National Guard deployment was illegal without gubernatorial consent. This marks the first such federal move in decades without a governor’s request.
The use of Marines for domestic unrest is highly unusual. Though trained for global conflict, some Marine units also receive riot-control instruction for emergency responses, including protection of U.S. diplomatic facilities.
