Los Angeles Riots, Trump Deploys 700 US Marines

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tensions between the California government and the U.S. federal government escalated on Monday, with federal officials preparing to send 700 Marines to assist the National Guard in addressing the Los Angeles riots.

As reported by USA Today, US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth said marines were sent "due to the increasing threat against federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings. About 700 active personnel were deployed to Los Angeles to restore order."

"We have a duty to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if (Governor) Gavin Newsom won't do it," Hegseth said.

Prior to this, US President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 troops to Los Angeles, which is estimated to last for 60 days, according to the California adjutant general.

Trump stated that the troops would restore order amid escalating clashes between police and protesters angry over aggressive pursuit of dark immigrants entering the US illegally. On Monday, the US Northern Command confirmed that 700 Marines would be sent to the city.

Trump pledged in a social media post to "free Los Angeles from the Migrant Invasion, and end this Migrant riot. Order will be restored, dark immigrants will be expelled, and Los Angeles will be liberated."

This was confirmed by the Pentagon. US Northern Command spokesperson Colonel Kelly Frushour said they would deploy 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests against Trump administration immigration checks.

Frushour said the troops are from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment and are based in Twentynine Palms, about 140 miles east of Los Angeles. Marines based in California will join 2,100 federal National Guard troops 'protecting federal personnel and federal property in the broader Los Angeles area,' Frushour stated.

The Marines heading to Los Angeles are from an infantry battalion whose usual mission is close combat with enemy forces. However, for this mission, Frushour stated that the activated Marines and National Guard "have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and strict rules for the use of force."

However, state officials have stated that they will sue the Trump administration for 'trampling' on Governor Gavin Newsom's authority.

"US Marines have served honorably in various wars to defend democracy. They are heroes. They should not be deployed on American soil to face their own citizens to fulfill the crazy fantasies of a dictatorial President," Newsom said.

The addition of active-duty forces marks a significant escalation.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday said they would sue the Trump administration for the decision to federalize the National Guard and send its members to the city's streets amid increasingly hostile protests against Trump's immigration policies.

The legal action is being taken because Trump is accused of taking 'unnecessary and illegal' actions.

At a press conference, Bonta said the lawsuit against the government would be filed Monday evening, calling Trump's actions "unnecessary, counterproductive, and most importantly, illegal."

Bonta stated that Trump's orders abused federal government authority and 'trampled' on Governor Gavin Newsom's sovereignty.

In a social media post, Newsom blamed Trump for the escalating riots after three days of protests, saying 'we will sue him.'

'Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by disregarding the US Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over state militias, which undermines the foundation of our republic,' Newsom said in a statement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids were conducted to identify illegal immigrants in downtown Los Angeles on June 7, but the activity escalated into clashes with protesters.

On the same day, Newsom threatened that the state could refuse to pay federal taxes in response to potential large-scale federal funding cuts by the US President Donald Trump's administration.

On June 8, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said 2,000 National Guard troops would be deployed to the city amid the protests.

"I have formally asked the Trump Administration to cancel the deployment," Newsom stated.

Police on Monday urged businesses and residents to report any 'vandalism, damage, or looting' for documentation after some Sunday protests turned into destructive clashes between officers and protesters.

Several vehicles were set on fire, protesters blocked Highway 101, and a group of them gathered on overpasses and threw objects at police, as shown in video recordings.

Authorities declared some Sunday demonstrations as 'unlawful assemblies,' deploying flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters. Police with riot gear joined hundreds of California National Guard troops.

The addition of active-duty forces represents a significant escalation in the government's ongoing efforts to apprehend those who have violated immigration laws. There are thousands of active-duty troops assisting at the southern border but none within major US cities.

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