Marines Are Deploying to L.A. Area in Wake of ICE Protests
Roughly 700 Marines are deploying to the Los Angeles area to protect federal buildings and personnel in the wake of protests over immigration that have already led President Trump to federalize National Guard troops, the U.S. military said Monday. The troops, which are assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division out of Twentynine Palms, Calif., won't engage with protesters, U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in North America, said in a statement. A senior administration official told reporters on Monday evening that the move came in light of increased threats against federal officers and federal buildings.
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The Hill
27 minutes ago
- The Hill
Marines detain first civilian in LA amid immigration raid protests
U.S. Marines deployed to Los Angeles on Friday for the first time detained a civilian as part of a protest against federal immigration raids, U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) confirmed to The Hill. The Marines 'temporarily detained a civilian earlier today,' Northcom said in a statement, adding that forces may temporarily detain an individual in specific circumstances under Title 10. 'The temporary detention ends immediately when the individual(s) can be safely transferred to the custody of appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel,' the statement noted. The incident reportedly took place at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles, where Marines earlier on Friday were charged with protecting the building. Images circulated on social media showed Marines apprehending a man with his hands zip-tied behind his back Reuters reported that the man, identified as Marcos Leao, 27, was handed over to civilians from the Department of Homeland Security. Marcos, an Army veteran, told reporters that he was on his way to an office of the Department of Veterans Affairs when he crossed a yellow tape boundary and was asked to stop. Around 200 Marines armed with rifles, riot control equipment and gas masks have been deployed to the streets of Los Angeles to join the more than 2,000 California National Guard troops already there. The service members, tasked with protecting federal property and personnel, will be joined by an additional 500 Marines and 2,000 Guard soldiers meant to accompany ICE agents on raids, according to officials. While the troops are authorized to detain people, they are not allowed to arrest them, as the Posse Comitatus Act largely forbids the U.S. military from taking part in civilian law enforcement.
Hamilton Spectator
29 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday. The man, Marcos Leao, was later released without charges and said the Marines were just doing their jobs. A U.S. Army North spokesperson said the troops have the authority to temporarily detain people under specific circumstances. He said those detentions end when the person can be transferred to 'appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel.' Leao's detention shows how the troops' deployment is putting them closer to carrying out law enforcement actions. Already, National Guard soldiers have been providing security on raids as Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown . Leao, a former Army combat engineer, said he was rushing to get to a Veterans Affairs appointment when he stepped past a piece of caution tape outside the federal building. He looked up to find a Marine sprinting toward him. 'I had my headphones in, so I didn't hear them,' Leao said. 'They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.' Leao was placed in zip ties and held for more than two hours by the Marines and members of the National Guard, he said. After Los Angeles police arrived, he was released without charges, he said. The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'I didn't know it was going to be this intense here,' he said later. A U.S. official told the AP that a civilian had stepped over the line. He was warned they would take him down and they did, according to the official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. About 200 Marines out of the 700 deployed arrived in the city Friday, joining 2,000 members of the National Guard that have been stationed outside federal buildings this week in Los Angeles. Another 2,000 Guard members were notified of deployment earlier this week. Before the unusual deployment, the Pentagon scrambled 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. The forces have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, the military has said. But the use of the active-duty forces still raises difficult questions. 'I believe that this is an inevitable precursor of things yet to come when you put troops with guns right next to civilians who are doing whatever they do,' said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps. prosecutor and military judge. He said it's an example of Trump's attempt to unravel the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars active-duty forces from conducting law enforcement. ___ Watson reported from San Diego and Baldor from Washington. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Washington Post
31 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday.
