President Trump has deployed approximately 90 National Guard troops under Title 10 to Los Angeles to protect ICE operations around MacArthur Park amid escalating protests over immigration enforcement.
At a Glance
- President Trump activated 90 California National Guard troops to protect ICE agents and federal facilities.
- Troops guarded operations near MacArthur Park without arrest authority.
- Governor Newsom has initiated legal action, calling the deployment unconstitutional.
- Legal issues are being deliberated in the 9th Circuit Court.
- This marks one of the first federal activations of state Guard forces without gubernatorial consent since 1965.
Show of Force at MacArthur Park
In early July, the National Guard joined ICE at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, bringing 17 Humvees, tactical vehicles, ambulances, and armed personnel to secure enforcement activity. Troops flanked agents as they swept through the immigrant-heavy area during an hour-long operation that sparked mass protests. This military-backed action comes amid intensified federal immigration raids and widespread criticism from community leaders and immigrant rights organizations.
Local officials were quick to denounce the show of force. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the deployment “a federal provocation,” while protestors clashed verbally with soldiers and agents at the scene. The operation’s video footage quickly went viral.
Watch a report: Armed US Troops Deployed to Guard ICE Operations
Legal War Over State Control
California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal deployment as unconstitutional, arguing that the use of the California National Guard without state authorization violates federalism principles. The suit, now under review by the 9th Circuit Court, claims the action is a breach of state sovereignty and a misuse of Title 10 powers.
The Pentagon counters that the troops were mobilized strictly to defend ICE agents and federal property, not to enforce immigration law directly. However, critics argue the deployment sets a dangerous precedent, reminiscent of federal military interventions during the civil rights era. Legal analysts note this is the first instance since Selma in 1965 that a state’s Guard has been used in defiance of a governor’s authority.
Militarizing the Immigration Machine?
This operation is part of a broader militarization trend surrounding immigration enforcement. Earlier this summer, more than 2,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines were reportedly deployed across Southern California in anticipation of raids and protests, triggering curfews and emergency declarations.
Civil liberties groups warn that domestic troop deployments blur critical boundaries between military and civilian law enforcement, especially in vulnerable communities. With lawsuits pending, a growing chorus of critics argue this escalation may undermine public trust and provoke further unrest in an already fragile national climate. As legal decisions loom, the fundamental question remains: who really controls the Guard—Washington or the states?
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