LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a week of protests over federal immigration raids, about 200 Marines moved into Los Angeles on Friday to guard a federal building in the city while communities across the country prepped for what's anticipated to be a nationwide wave of large-scale demonstrations against President Donald Trump's polices this weekend.
The Marine troops wearing combat gear and carrying rifles took over some posts from National Guard members who were deployed to the city after the protests erupted last week. Those protests sparked dozens more over several days around the country, with some leading to clashes with police and hundreds of arrests.
On Friday, Marines started to replace Guard members protecting the federal building west of downtown, so the Guard soldiers can be assigned to protect law enforcement officers on raids, the commander in charge of 4,700 troops deployed to the LA protests said.
The Marines moved into Los Angeles before Saturday's planned "No Kings" demonstrations nationally against Trump's policies, which will also happen the same day as a military parade in Washington, D.C.
The Marines’ arrival also came a day after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked a federal judge’s order that had directed Trump to return control of Guard troops to California. The judge had ruled the Guard deployment was illegal, violated the Tenth Amendment, which defines the power between state and federal governments, and exceeded Trump’s statutory authority. The judge did not rule on the presence of the Marines.
Military mission
Some 2,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Los Angeles this week. Hundreds have provided protection to immigration agents making arrests. Another 2,000 Guard members were notified of deployment earlier this week.
Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, the commander of Task Force 51 who is overseeing the 4,700 combined troops, said none of the military troops will be detaining anyone, though the Marines temporarily detained a man Friday afternoon who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. He was later released without charges.
Roughly 500 National Guard members have been used to provide security on immigration raids after undergoing expanded instruction, legal training and rehearsals with the agents doing the enforcement before they go on those missions.
When asked about working together with the Marines, Los Angeles police Chief Jim McDonnell said he “wouldn’t call it coordination” but said he and the county sheriff were on a call with military senior leadership Thursday to open lines of communication in case situations arise where collaboration is needed.
Under federal law, active-duty forces are prohibited by law from conducting law enforcement.
By mid-afternoon Friday, more than a dozen Marines were stationed outside the 17-story Wilshire Federal Building. They mostly appeared to be checking tickets from members of the public who were there to renew their passports.
The federal building is the same place Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla on Thursday was forcefully removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's news conference and handcuffed by officers as he tried to speak up about the immigration raids.
There were no protesters around the building. Occasionally, a passing driver shouted from their window, registering a mix of anger and support for the military presence.
California vs. Trump
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the troop deployment a "serious breach of state sovereignty" and a power grab by Trump, and he has gone to court to stop it. The president has cited a legal provision that allows him to mobilize federal service members when there is "a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States."
A federal judge said in a ruling late Thursday that what is happening in Los Angeles does not meet the definition of a rebellion and issued an order to return control of the Guard to California before the appeals court stopped it from going into effect Friday. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump thanked the appeals court Friday morning.
“If I didn’t send the Military into Los Angeles, that city would be burning to the ground right now,” he said.
The court will hold a hearing on the matter Tuesday.
The Trump administration has characterized the city as a “war zone,” which local authorities dispute. Recent protesters have drawn a few hundred attendees who marched through downtown chanting, dancing and poking fun at the Trump administration’s characterization of the city.
There have been about 500 arrests since Saturday, mostly for failing to leave the area at the request of law enforcement, according to the police. There have been a handful of more serious charges, including for assault against officers and for possession of a Molotov cocktail and a gun. Nine officers have been hurt, mostly with minor injuries.
An 8 p.m. curfew has been in place in a 1-square-mile (2.5-square-kilometer) section of downtown. The city of Los Angeles encompasses roughly 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers). Protests have ended after a few hours with arrests this week largely for failure to disperse. Mayor Karen Bass said Friday there was no termination date for the curfew yet.
The occasional motorist, cyclist and pedestrian passed in front of the federal building and the troops guarding it as the curfew took effect Friday. Residents living in the curfew zone and traveling to and from work there are exempt from the rule.
‘No Kings’
The "No Kings" demonstrations are planned in nearly 2,000 locations around the country, according to the movement's website.
A flagship march and rally is planned for Philadelphia, but no protests are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will be held. Participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation, organizers say.
States face questions on deploying troops
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has put 5,000 National Guard members on standby in cities where demonstrations are planned. In other Republican-controlled states, governors have not said when or how they may deploy troops.
A group of Democratic governors in a statement called Trump’s deployments “an alarming abuse of power.”
Military parade
The military parade in Washington will also feature concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall for daylong festivities. The celebration Saturday also happens to be Trump's birthday.
The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend and says putting on the celebration will cost an estimated $25 million to $45 million.
Saturday is also Flag Day, which celebrates the adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777.
California Democratic state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas turned an American flag on her desk upside-down in protest of the federal immigration crackdown in Los Angeles during a Friday legislative session honoring the holiday.
“What is happening in this country, what is happening in my city makes me feel distressed as an American,” said Smallwood-Cuevas, who represents downtown Los Angeles.
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Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. Baldor contributed from Washington.
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