Marines Mobilized to Los Angeles Amid Anti-ICE Riots as Trump, Newsom Clash Over Federal Response

A battalion of 500 U.S. Marines is being mobilized to Los Angeles to protect federal personnel and property following a weekend of violent anti-immigration enforcement protests, a senior defense official confirmed Monday.

The Marines, from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines based in Twentynine Palms, California, are expected to bolster security at key federal sites. While they will not engage in law enforcement duties, questions remain regarding their rules of engagement, particularly if protesters confront them physically.

The move follows President Donald Trump’s deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to the city on Saturday in response to riots sparked by large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Protesters clashed with Border Patrol agents and local police, setting fires, damaging vehicles, and vandalizing police property, including the LAPD headquarters.

President Trump on Monday said the situation in Los Angeles is “under control,” but defended the deployment as necessary to prevent further escalation.

“I think it would have been a very bad situation,” Trump told reporters. “It was heading in the wrong direction. It’s now heading in the right direction.”

However, the decision has ignited sharp criticism from California officials. Governor Gavin Newsom filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, calling the military mobilization “unprecedented” and “completely uncalled for.”

“There is a difference between mobilization and deployment,” Newsom’s office posted on X, formerly Twitter. “This is a movement of Marines between bases — not a deployment into action. The level of escalation is unwarranted and a misuse of military resources.”

Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta also accused the administration of violating state sovereignty by activating the National Guard without the governor’s consent, an action they argue circumvents constitutional norms.

In a fiery social media post Monday, Trump pushed back against critics, warning that any assault or disrespect toward federal forces would be met with swift retaliation.

“If they spit, we will hit,” Trump wrote. “Such disrespect will not be tolerated!”

The legal basis for the military’s involvement remains unclear. Federal law generally prohibits the use of U.S. military forces for domestic law enforcement under the Posse Comitatus Act, unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act — which has not been publicly announced in this case.

Protests in Los Angeles began after ICE launched a series of immigration raids aimed at accelerating deportations promised by the Trump administration. Over the weekend, demonstrations erupted into full-scale riots in several areas, including Paramount, where protesters lit fires in the streets and hurled debris at federal officers in riot gear.

The unrest has also sparked international demonstrations. On Sunday, protesters in Mexico City held a rally in solidarity with those in Los Angeles, including displays mocking the U.S. president.