Pentagon withdraws 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles
Los Angeles
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles, roughly half the federal troops deployed to the city, the Pentagon said.
President Donald Trump ordered some 4,000 National Guard and 700 Marines into Los Angeles in early June to help enforce federal immigration raids amid widespread protests.
According to Department of Homeland Security figures, cited by NBC Los Angeles, the raids have led to the arrest of 2,792 undocumented immigrants.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on Tuesday confirmed the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen 'from the federal protection mission'. He claimed the move was because 'the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding'.
Mayor Karen Bass described the withdrawal as a 'retreat', crediting the success of peaceful protests and legal actions.
'This happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong,' Bass said.
'We organised peaceful protests, we came together at rallies, we took the Trump administration to court. All of this led to today's retreat,' the Democratic mayor said.
She referred to a lawsuit the city joined that led to an order from a federal judge barring immigration officers from detaining people based solely on their race or for speaking Spanish.
Federal troops deployed to Los Angeles are authorised to detain people who pose a threat to federal personnel or property, but only until police can arrest them.
Military officials are not allowed to carry out arrests themselves.
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Philippines' Marcos to meet Trump seeking trade deal
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Al Jazeera
13 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
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Al Jazeera
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