Los Angeles, Jun 10 (AP) — In a move that has sparked significant debate, President Donald Trump has ordered an additional deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles. This decision, made on Monday, comes despite opposition from local officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who argue that the increased military presence is unnecessary and complicates protest management efforts.
The deployment follows an initial arrival of 2,000 National Guard troops on Sunday, a day marked by violent protests opposing Trump's intensified immigration policies. Critics claim these policies are causing distress among migrant families.
By Monday, protests had become more peaceful, with thousands gathering at City Hall and hundreds demonstrating outside a federal complex, which includes a detention center for immigrants apprehended during city-wide raids.
Despite Trump's alarming portrayal of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Newsom insist the situation is exaggerated and that the additional military forces pose public safety risks. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell expressed confidence in handling protests with existing resources, highlighting the logistical challenges posed by the Marines' uncoordinated arrival.
Governor Newsom criticized the military escalation as reckless and accused President Trump of prioritizing personal motives over public safety. Protests, initiated Friday after federal authorities arrested more than 40 individuals in Los Angeles, continued through the weekend, including in cities like San Francisco, Santa Ana, Dallas, and Austin.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against the federal deployment, accusing Trump of overstepping his authority and infringing on state sovereignty. Trump justified the military presence, claiming it prevented Los Angeles from being "completely obliterated."
While the National Guard's role remains limited primarily to protecting federal properties and personnel, the decision marks an uncommon move to activate a state's National Guard without the governor's consent. The last such occurrence was in 1965 during civil rights demonstrations in Alabama.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, protests persisted despite the military presence. Demonstrators congregated in various parts of the city, including around City Hall and a downtown federal detention center. Community leaders, including labor activists and religious figures, worked to maintain peace during these gatherings.
An unprecedented step in recent history, the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines, authorized through a legal provision permitting federal intervention during potential rebellions, signals an escalation in the federal response to ongoing immigration-related protests. (AP) GRS GRS
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