Trump Administration Withdraws 2,000 National Guard Troops from Los Angeles Amid Immigration Protests

The Trump administration has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 California National Guard troops from Los Angeles, scaling back the military presence initially deployed to support immigration enforcement amid protests triggered by large-scale ICE raids. About 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines were originally sent to protect federal property and personnel, despite opposition from city and state leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who sued the administration over the deployment. A federal appeals court upheld President Trump's control over the state's National Guard, but the deployment sparked national debate over the use of military forces on U.S. soil and heightened political tensions. Pentagon officials cited a subsiding of lawlessness in the city as the reason for the troop reduction, though roughly 2,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines remain deployed. The troops are authorized to detain individuals posing threats to federal personnel or property but may not make arrests themselves, as immigration raids continue under the administration's aggressive enforcement policies. The decision reflects ongoing legal and political disputes surrounding federal immigration actions in California.