The Department of Defense has confirmed that President Donald Trump is deploying an extra 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles. This action is intended to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement officers. The deployment follows an earlier order by Trump to send 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday. The stated aim is to address ongoing protests related to immigration arrests. Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs, announced the mobilization on X (formerly Twitter). This move coincides with a lawsuit filed by California against the Trump administration, challenging the constitutionality of the deployments. In response, a White House spokesperson criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom, suggesting he should focus on prosecuting those protesting against ICE. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has also strongly condemned the decision, calling it ‘unnecessary, counterproductive, and unlawful.’ Bonta argues that the order violates the 10th Amendment and federal law, as it was made without Governor Newsom’s authorization and against the wishes of local law enforcement. Governor Newsom has also accused Trump of ‘creating fear and terror to take over a state militia and violate the US Constitution.’ The protests were triggered by ICE raids in the city, which resulted in the arrest of numerous undocumented immigrants.
