200 Marines Deployed in LA Amid Immigration Protests

Approximately 200 US Marines have been deployed to downtown Los Angeles to guard federal buildings, particularly the Wilshire Federal Building, following nights of protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration raids. The Marines' role is to protect federal infrastructure while California National Guard troops assist law enforcement in ongoing immigration operations. This deployment represents a rare use of active-duty Marines for domestic security and has sparked objections from California officials and ongoing legal challenges regarding federal authority. The protests and demonstrations against the immigration raids have intensified in Los Angeles and other US cities, resulting in several hundred arrests. Major General Scott Sherman stated that Marines and Guard troops will not engage in law enforcement, but there are concerns about the Marines' preparedness for politically sensitive crowd control. A recent appellate court ruling has allowed the federal deployment to continue as nationwide demonstrations are expected to escalate.