Marines Mobilized to Support National Guard in Los Angeles Amid Protests

Los Angeles, CA – Approximately 500 U.S. Marines from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California, have been mobilized to assist in Los Angeles as protests over immigration enforcement operations intensify, according to sources cited by CNN. The deployment marks a significant escalation in the federal response to the unrest, which has seen clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in the city’s downtown area.

The Marines, part of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, are being sent to augment the 2,000 National Guard troops already deployed to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump. The National Guard’s presence, authorized without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, has sparked legal and political controversy, with Newsom announcing plans to sue the Trump administration over what he calls an “unlawful” action.

Located in the desert near Joshua Tree National Park, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms is approximately 150 miles east of Los Angeles, a drive of about two and a half hours. The base is a key training facility for the Marine Corps, known for its vast terrain and rigorous combat preparation programs.

According to multiple reports, the Marines are currently in a “prepare to deploy” status and are not authorized to engage in law enforcement activities, such as making arrests, unless President Trump invokes the Insurrection Act of 1792. The Insurrection Act, a rarely used law, would grant the president authority to deploy active-duty military personnel for domestic law enforcement in cases of rebellion or extreme unrest. While Trump has referred to the protests as “insurrectionist mobs,” he has not yet invoked the act, though he has not ruled it out.

The protests, now in their fourth day, were triggered by federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, leading to widespread demonstrations, some of which have turned violent. Protesters have clashed with police and federal agents, with reports of tear gas, rubber bullets, and the burning of self-driving vehicles. The National Guard’s role has primarily been to protect federal personnel and property, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, rather than direct engagement with demonstrators. The Marines are expected to provide similar logistical and force protection support.

California’s Democratic leadership has condemned the federal deployment as an overreach. Governor Newsom called the move a “serious breach of state sovereignty,” while Mayor Bass urged protesters to remain peaceful to avoid giving the administration “the excuse” it might seek to escalate further. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that additional active-duty Marines from Camp Pendleton, also on high alert, could be mobilized if violence continues.

Legal experts note that the federalization of the National Guard without state approval is rare, with historical precedents including President Lyndon B. Johnson’s deployment of troops to protect civil rights marchers in Alabama in 1965. The current situation, however, has raised concerns among veterans and civil liberties advocates about the politicization of the military. Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine Corps veteran and CEO of Vet Voice Foundation, described the deployment as a step toward “inappropriate activity” that could erode public trust in the armed forces.

As the situation in Los Angeles remains volatile, the deployment of Marines underscores the deepening tensions between federal and state authorities. The coming days will likely determine whether the protests de-escalate or prompt further federal intervention.

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