US Troops Flood LA As Protests Mount

Hundreds of US Marines arrived in the Los Angeles region, responding to Trump’s directive, in what critics call an authoritarian show of force.

The deployment comes amid widespread protests against aggressive immigration crackdowns, now in their fifth day in Los Angeles and spreading nationwide.

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the troop presence, stating in a video address, “Democracy is under assault.”

Newsom accused Trump of abusing his authority: “He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety.”

Tensions have risen as Trump and Newsom exchange hostile rhetoric. The governor, who many believe is eyeing a 2028 presidential run, filed a lawsuit Monday against the federal deployment, calling it unlawful and wasteful.

Trump retaliated, hinting Newsom should face arrest.

Protests erupted following intensified ICE raids, which have targeted undocumented migrants. Homeland Security confirmed that ICE is arresting 2,000 people daily—an unprecedented surge compared to previous years.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a downtown curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. after 23 businesses were looted Monday.

Despite the curfew, demonstrators remained in the streets, some holding their hands up and chanting “peaceful protest.”

Authorities confirmed 197 arrests on Tuesday alone—more than double the total of previous days combined.

Bass and Council member Ysabel Jurado distinguished between peaceful demonstrators and those committing property damage.

“When these peaceful rallies end, another element moves in: opportunists, who come in under the cover of a peaceful protest to ravage and destroy,” Jurado said.

Street-level clashes continued between police and protesters, especially near the Metropolitan Detention Center, where migrants are detained.

In cities like New York, Atlanta, and Chicago, protests echoed the outrage, with demonstrators calling for the abolition of ICE.

Christina Berger, a 39-year-old protester, voiced concern over the psychological toll on children fearing separation: “I just want to give some hope to my friends and neighbors.”

Roughly 700 Marines were stationed at Seal Beach, awaiting deployment. An additional 2,100 National Guard troops were already active in the area, part of a broader 4,000-strong force.

Although these troops lack arrest authority, California officials fear federal misuse.

Attorney General Rob Bonta warned that military involvement in civilian immigration enforcement could breach the Posse Comitatus Act.

Photos posted by ICE on Tuesday showed National Guard members accompanying agents during raids—an alarming overlap of military and police roles.

Trump defended the crackdown during a speech at Fort Bragg: “What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags.”

He vowed to “liberate Los Angeles,” framing the protests as threats to national unity.