2,000 Additional California National Guard Troops Deployed Into L.A.

The U.S. Northern Command announced late on Tuesday that they would be deploying the additional 2,000 California National Guardsmen originally activated on June 9th into Los Angeles, bringing the total number of federal troops in the city to roughly 4,100.

In a statement, it was confirmed that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth coordinated with the U.S. Northern Command to bring the additional soldiers in to help with the winding down of anti-ICE protests and riots in Los Angeles. Instead of being an independent security team, the soldiers will act as support for federal agencies involved. While first activated on June 9th as an additional 2,000 national guardsmen to the initial 2,000 already deployed, the soldiers needed to complete training on de-escalation, crowd control, and use of the standing rules for the use of force in advance of joining the federal protection mission and helping federal agencies there including ICE, as well as other National Guardsmen and Marines currently deployed.

“By direction of the Secretary of Defense and in coordination with U.S. Northern Command, about 2,000 additional California Army National Guard soldiers have been activated in a Title 10 status to support the protection of federal functions, personnel, and property in the greater Los Angeles area,” said the U.S. Northern Command in a statement.

“The 49th Military Police Brigade will serve alongside the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat team and the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, under the direction of Task Force 51, which is commanded by Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman. As with other units identified to support this mission, the brigade will not directly participate in civilian law enforcement activities. The activation of the 49th is intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency.

“Title 10 military members will not conduct law enforcement activities such as arrest and search and seizure. Their focus is the safety and continuity of federal functions.”

Governor Gavin Newsom, who has fought the federalization of California National guard troops, criticized the announcement shortly after the press release came out.

“This is clean up from the Pentagon,” said Newsom in a statement. ” This isn’t a new deployment — it’s the same group of soldiers who have been diverted from critical wildfire work and work at the border, now twiddling their thumbs for Donald Trump’s political theater. This is the deployment of the second set of 2000 federalized Guard soldiers, under the June 9 order. The description of what they are and aren’t going to be doing is meant to be consistent with their legal position, rather than the immigration enforcement support we’ve seen them doing in Los Angeles.” 

2,000 more troops headed into L.A.

The federal announcement came mere hours after two major events on Tuesday. First was Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announcing that the curfew in the city was lifted thanks to a major decline in protesters and rioters. While a curfew was in place for over a week, it was deemed less and less necessary as protests wound down.

“The curfew, coupled with ongoing crime prevention efforts, have been largely successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community,” said Bass in a statement. “I am lifting the curfew effective today, and as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington, and I will be prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. My priority will continue to be ensuring safety, stability and support in the Downtown neighborhoods.”

The other was the Ninth Circuit Court hearing arguments in the Newsom v. Trump case over the federal deployment of California National Guard troops. While a District Court judge earlier agreed that Trump was in the wrong in deploying troops, the Appellate Court not only issued a stay allowing federal control to continue, but the hearings on Tuesday heavily suggested that they were going to rule in favor of President Trump and allow him to keep control of the troops because of prior Supreme Court precedent.

Along with ICE operations expanding in Los Angeles and ICE agents subsequently needing additional support, all the actions earlier on Tuesday led to the Department of Defense deciding that now was the time for sending in more troops.

As of Wednesday, it isn’t known for how long federal troops are to remain in Los Angeles, with both National Guardsmen and Marines likely to be reduced in number when both protests die down completely and when ICE and the FBI agree that their supportive presence isn’t needed any longer. Troop presence can also be removed if the higher courts rule in favor of Governor Newsom, but even in that scenario, it would only cover National Guardsmen, with Marines still being under control of the President.