The Department of Defence has confirmed that President Donald Trump is deploying an additional 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal law enforcement officers. This deployment follows an initial order for 2,000 troops issued on Saturday, amidst ongoing protests related to immigration arrests. Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs, announced the mobilization of the California National Guard to assist ICE and ensure the safety of federal law enforcement. This decision coincides with California filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the constitutionality of the deployments. A White House spokesperson responded by urging Governor Gavin Newsom to prioritize prosecuting ‘anti-ICE rioters’ instead of the lawsuit. California Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the federalization of the state’s National Guard troops as ‘unnecessary, counterproductive, and unlawful,’ highlighting that this is the state’s 24th lawsuit against the Trump administration in recent weeks. Bonta argues that the order violates the 10th Amendment and federal law, as it was issued without Governor Newsom’s authorization and against the wishes of local law enforcement. Governor Newsom has accused Trump of using fear to seize state militia and violate the US Constitution. The protests were sparked by ICE raids that led to the arrest of numerous undocumented immigrants.
