Marines arrive in LA area as Pentagon reveals $134M cost of deployment

Toronto Star

2 days ago

Marines and additional National Guard troops headed to the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, sent in by President Donald Trump in response to protests over immigration raids despite the objections of the governor and local leaders.
The authorization came amid mostly peaceful protests in the country's second-largest city on Monday. Additional protests against immigration raids are expected to continue in other cities Tuesday.
Here's the latest:
Mayor Karen Bass calls on Trump to stop ICE raids
The Los Angeles mayor said her administration has heard the ICE raids could continue for the next 30 days, if not longer.
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'It's a sense of intimidation and fear that is just so unnecessary and so corrosive to our city,' Bass said at a Tuesday news conference. The mayor said she would place a call to President Trump asking him to stop the raids.
Bass scoffed at Trump's claim on Saturday that the National Guard helped protect the city, especially because they didn't even arrive until Sunday. She said Guard troops are 'stationary,' protecting the LA federal building.
'They are not out doing crowd control or anything like that. So I don't know how he could say that the National Guard is who saved the day. Who saved the day was our local law enforcement agencies,' Bass said.
School graduations in Los Angeles have added security over fears of ICE actions
The ceremonies, which number over 100 between Monday and Tuesday alone, included a beefed up presence of school police 'to intervene and interfere with any federal agency who may want to take action during these joyous times,' said Alberto M. Carvalho, the superintendent of Los Angeles' school district, at a press conference this week.
Carvalho asked parents to update their emergency contact information in case something goes awry and is offering them an option to view the graduations over Zoom. 'Our schools are places of education and inspiration, not fear and intimidation,' said Carvalho.
Officers who were injured in Austin, Texas have all been treated and released
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said four officers who were injured during Monday night's protests have been treated and released from a hospital by Tuesday.
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Three officers were hurt by what she described as 'very large' rocks that were thrown at police. The fourth officer injured a shoulder while making an arrest.
Davis said Austin police deployed pepper spray balls and that state police used tear gas to disperse the crowd once it started to turn violent. Davis said her department is prepared for protests that are planned for downtown Austin this upcoming weekend.
'We support peaceful protest,' Davis said. 'When that protests turn violent, when it turns to throwing rocks and bottles .... That will not be tolerated. Arrests will be made.'
California Republican Congressman denounces 'violence and vandalism' while expressing concern about ICE raids
Rep. David Valadao, a moderate Republican who represents much of the state's San Joaquin Valley, urged for peaceful protest and said he was also concerned over how the Trump administration is conducting ICE raids in the Golden state.
'I support the First Amendment right to peacefully protest, but the violence and vandalism happening in Los Angeles is unacceptable and I stand with our law enforcement officers working to protect people and regain control over the situation,' Valadao wrote on social media.
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'I remain concerned about ongoing ICE operations throughout CA and will continue my conversations with the administration—urging them to prioritize the removal of known criminals over the hardworking people who have lived peacefully in the Valley for years,' he added.
Craigslist ad not proof of paid protestors in Los Angeles
Viral social media posts are claiming that a Craigslist ad seeking 'the toughest badasses in the city' is proof that the Los Angeles demonstrations are made up of paid protestors.
But this is false.
The ad, which is no longer live, was bait for a prank show called 'Goofcon1' and had nothing to do with the protests in Los Angeles. It was posted on Craigslist on Thursday, the day before the protests began.
In a livestreamed episode, the show's hosts on Friday called and spoke with people who responded to the ad. Joey LaFleur, one of Goofcon1's hosts, confirmed with The Associated Press that he put up the Craigslist ad for the show.
'I literally had no idea it was ever going to be connected to the riots. It was a really weird coincidence,' he said, referencing the ad. 'I'm not trying to troll a serious situation.'
Trump suggests he's open to invoking Insurrection Act to quell protest in LA
The president during his Oval Office engagement with reporters left open the possibility of invoking one the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president.
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'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see,' Trump said. 'But I can tell you last night was terrible , and the night before that was terrible.'
The Insurrection Act authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the United States to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations.
It is often referred to as the 'Insurrection Act of 1807,' but the law is actually an amalgamation of different statutes enacted by Congress between 1792 and 1871.
Peaceful protests outside Seattle's immigration court
About 50 people gathered outside the immigration court in downtown Seattle on Tuesday, chanting with drums and holding up signs that said 'Free Them All Abolish ICE' and 'No to Deportations.'
Legal advocates who normally attend the immigration court hearings as observers and to provide support to immigrants were not allowed inside the building. Security guards also turned away the media.
The hearings are normally open to the public. Organizers said they were there solidarity with protesters in Los Angeles.
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The protest was peaceful and there were no law-enforcement officers in the area in the morning.
Protests over federal immigration raids have sprung up in cities across the US
Although most have been peaceful with marchers chanting and carrying signs, some have resulted in dozens of arrests.
The demonstrations have ranged from gatherings outside of federal office buildings or state capitol buildings, and marches through the downtown of several major cities. A series of so-called 'No Kings' rallies were planned Saturday to coincide with President Trump's scheduled military parade in Washington, DC.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on social media on Tuesday that the agency would continue its program of raids and deportations despite the protests.
'ICE will continue to enforce the law,' Noem posted on X.
Armored vehicles block roads in Santa Ana
In Santa Ana, California, armored vehicles blocked the road Tuesday morning leading into the Civic Center, where federal immigration officers and numerous city and county agencies have their offices.
Workers swept up plastic bottles and broken glass. Tiny shards of red, black and purple glass littered the pavement.
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Nearby buildings and the sidewalk were tagged with graffiti containing obscenities and Trump's name crossed out. A worker rolled paint over graffiti on a wall to block it out. National Guard officers wearing fatigues and carrying rifles prevented people from entering the area unless they worked there.
Few signs of tumult in downtown Los Angeles
A handful of National Guard members are stationed in front of the Metropolitan Detention Center, long guns and wood sticks slung over their shoulders. Occasionally, a passing driver will honk at or heckle them, drawing no response.
News crews are stationed on the opposite side of the street, awaiting the possible arrival of the U.S. Marines. Otherwise, there are few signs of the tumult that has gripped the city in recent nights, aside from the graffiti scrawled across several buildings – 'Abolish ICE,' 'Amerikkka,' and obscene slogans directed at Trump and federal law enforcement.
At the Walt Disney Concert Hall, workers were busy washing away the graffiti on Tuesday morning.
Los Angeles deployment to cost at least $134 million and last 60 days, Pentagon says
The deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles will cost at least $134 million and last at least the next 60 days, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a senior defense official told lawmakers Tuesday.
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'We stated very publicly that it's 60 days because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we're not going anywhere,' Hegseth told members of the House appropriations defense subcommittee.
After persistent questioning from members of Congress, Hegseth turned to his acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who provided the total and said this 'is largely just the cost of travel, housing and food.'
She said the money will come from operations and maintenance accounts.
Speaker Johnson defends Trump on LA protests
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Donald Trump's handling of protests in Los Angeles and echoed the president's attacks on Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
'That's not my lane,' Johnson said in response to a question about whether Newsom should face legal consequences such as arrest.
Johnson, speaking at a news conference at the RNC on Tuesday, continued that Newsom should be 'tarred and feathered'— eliciting chuckles from members of House Republican leadership at the press conference — for 'standing in the way of the administration and the carrying out of federal law.'
Thune says 'federal response' necessary to protests in Los Angeles
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said Tuesday there were 'clear failures on the part of state and local officials' in response to protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles and a 'federal response' was necessary.
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President Trump has sent thousands of National Guard troops and 700 active duty Marines to quell the protests despite the objections of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and local leaders.
'I don't know exactly the authorities that they are using,' Thune said, referring to the Marine deployment. 'But obviously, there was a security situation out there that needed to be addressed. And I think ultimately the president's objective is to keep people safe.'
Head of Marine Corps says battalion is in LA, ready to respond but has not engaged
The commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, said the battalion deployed to Los Angeles is already there and ready to follow the orders from the U.S. Northern Command, but clarified they have not yet been called to respond.
Smith testified at a budget hearing before senators that those Marines are trained for crowd control, and they would have shields and batons as their equipment. He said they have no arrest authority, and are only there to protect federal property and federal personnel.
When asked by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumental, a Connecticut Democrat, about the danger that Marines would use lethal force that could result in injuries and deaths, Smith said he had faith in them.
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'I am not concerned. I have great faith in my Marines and their junior leaders and their more senior leaders to execute the lawful tasks that they are given.'
Texas authorities appeared to use chemical irritants to disperse a crowd in Austin
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted on social media that 'more than a dozen protesters' were arrested by city and state police in Austin.
'Peaceful protesting is legal,' Abbott, a Republican, posted on X. 'But once you cross the line, you will be arrested.'
Hundreds of protestors organized by the Austin chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation gathered near the Capitol on Monday, and moved toward the federal building that houses an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. State officials had closed the Capitol to the public an hour earlier than usual head of the demonstration.
In Dallas, hundreds of demonstrators gathered for a rally on a city bridge for several hours before police later determined the rally to be 'unlawful.' Dallas police said one person was arrested and charges were pending.
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Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis rails against California officials' handling of protests
DeSantis has often clashed with California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who like DeSantis is a term-limited governor with national ambitions.
'You don't have the right to just simply opt out of federal immigration law. And I think what's happened in California is they're a sanctuary state. They've taken the position really uninterrupted for many, many years that they can just ignore the law, they don't have to cooperate. Well now you have the law being applied,' DeSantis said at a Florida Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
DeSantis said law enforcement officers in Florida are ready to crack down if demonstrations there boil over into riots.
'The minute you cross into attacking law enforcement, any type of rioting, any type of vandalism, looting, just be prepared to have the law come down on you,' DeSantis added. 'And we will make an example of you, you can guarantee it.'
Hegseth refuses to provide lawmakers details on costs of sending Marines to Los Angeles
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In a back an forth with the defense appropriations subcommittee's top Democrat, Hegseth refused to answer basic questions on the cost of deploying Marines to Los Angeles, instead falling back on political talking points.
In a series of questions on the news that Marines would be sent to Los Angeles, House Appropriations defense subcommittee ranking member Rep. Betty McCollum told Hegseth 'this is a deeply unfair position to put our Marines in,' she said. 'There's no need for the Marines to be deployed.'
McCollum asked what the cost of the deployment would be. Hegseth deflected on the costs, attacked the decisions of the previous Biden administration instead and talked about illegal immigration.
'Could the Secretary please address the budget' McCollum asked him.
Hegseth again refused to acknowledge McCollum's question and attacked the politics of the past administration again. McCollum took back her time and Hegseth was instructed by the committee chairman to provide the costs in writing instead.
California Democrats accuse Trump of inciting unrest
Democratic members of California's congressional delegation are accusing President Donald Trump of creating a 'manufactured crisis' in Los Angeles with his orders to send in thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines.
'It's a deliberate attempt by Trump to incite unrest, test the limits of executive power and distract from the lawlessness of his administration,' said Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who organized a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday morning.
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Rep. Jimmy Panetta said that Trump's decision to send in the military was designed to 'give him the image and give him the fight and give him the pictures that he wants.'
Panetta said the delegation would stand with peaceful protesters, but those who are not peaceful are going to pay the consequences.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi contrasted Trump's actions now with his handling of the Jan. 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol when law enforcement officers were being beaten.
'We begged the president of the United States to send in the National Guard. He would not do it,' Pelosi said.
Trump links protests in Los Angeles to home rebuilding after wildfires
Trump said his decision to 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles spared the city from burning to the ground like thousands of homes after wildfires this year.
He wrote on his social media site that people want to rebuild, and that the federal permitting process is 'virtually complete on these houses.'
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Trump claimed that 'the easy and simple City and State Permits are disastrously bungled up and WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE!' and blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
'People want to rebuild their houses. Call your incompetent Governor and Mayor, the Federal permitting is DONE!!!' he wrote.
Pentagon draws up rules on possible use of force by Marines
The Pentagon was scrambling Monday to establish rules to guide U.S. Marines who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil, now that the Trump administration is deploying active duty troops to the immigration raid protests in Los Angeles.
The forces have been trained in deescalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, Northern Command said.
But the use of the active duty forces still raises difficult questions.
The Marines are highly trained in combat and crisis response. But that is starkly different from the role they will face now: They could potentially be hit by protesters carrying gas canisters and have to quickly decide how to respond or face decisions about protecting an immigration enforcement agent from crowds.
According to a U.S. official, troops will be armed with their normal service weapons but will not be carrying tear gas. They also will have protective equipment such as helmets, shields and gas masks.
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▶ Read more about the Pentagon's guidelines for the Marines
Los Angeles' image is scuffed since ICE raids and protests, with World Cup and Olympics on horizon
This isn't the image Los Angeles wanted projected around the globe.
Clouds of tear gas wafting over a throng of protesters on a blocked freeway. Federal immigration agents in tactical garb raiding businesses in search of immigrants without legal status. A messy war of words between Trump and Newsom. Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire and graffiti scrawled on a federal detention center building, while videos recorded the sounds of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades hitting crowds.
In a city still reeling from January's deadly wildfires — and with the World Cup soccer championships and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon — Mayor Karen Bass has been urging residents to come together to revitalize LA's image by sprucing up streets, planting trees and painting murals so LA shows its best face to nations near and far.
'It's about pride,' she's said. 'This is the city of dreams.'
▶ Read more about the impact of the protests
Guard deployment is a nearly unprecedented escalation
The deployment appeared to be the first time in decades that a state's National Guard was activated without a request from its governor, a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration's mass deportation efforts.
Protesters clasp hands in front of a line of California National Guard, Monday, June 9, 2025, at a Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles. (AP Photo Jae Hong)
The last time the National Guard was activated without a governor's permission was in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to protect a civil rights march in Alabama, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
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In a directive Saturday, Trump invoked a legal provision allowing him to deploy federal service members when there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.'
Early protests remained peaceful
On Monday, thousands flooded the streets around City Hall for a union rally ahead of a hearing for arrested labor leader David Huerta, who was freed a few hours later on a $50,000 bond. Huerta's arrest Friday while protesting immigration raids has become a rallying cry for people angry over the administration's crackdown. He is the president of the Service Employees International Union California, which represents thousands of the state's janitors, security officers and other workers.
Early protests had a calm and even joyful atmosphere at times, with people dancing to live music and buoyed by Huerta's release.
Protesters linked hands in front of a line of police officers outside the downtown federal detention center where Huerta was being held. Religious leaders joined the protesters, working with organizers at times to de-escalate moments of tension.
There was a heavy law enforcement presence in the few square blocks, while most in the immense city of some 4 million people went about their normal business on peaceful streets.
Trump sends Marines and more National Guard members to Los Angeles
Another 2,000 National Guard troops along with 700 Marines are headed to Los Angeles on orders from President Donald Trump, escalating a military presence local officials and Newsom don't want and the police chief says creates logistical challenges for safely handling protests.
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An initial 2,000 Guard troops ordered by Trump started arriving Sunday, which saw the most violence during three days of protests.
Monday's demonstrations were far less raucous, with thousands peacefully attending a rally at City Hall and hundreds protesting outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids across the city.
Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom say are nowhere close to the truth. They say he is putting public safety at risk by adding military personnel even though police say they don't need the help.
Newsom called the deployments reckless and 'disrespectful to our troops' in a post on the social platform X.
▶ Read more about the deployment of more National Guard members