The United States government will activate an extra 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, the military confirmed in a statement Tuesday night, as a legal battle continues over the deployment.
Protests against federal immigration policies that exploded in Los Angeles and across the country in recent weeks have since died down, and a nighttime curfew has been lifted as businesses return to normality.
Nevertheless, the U.S. Northern Command said the reinforcements were needed to “support the protection of federal functions, personnel, and property in the greater Los Angeles area.”
The 2,000 troops are deployed at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, using Title 10, which allows the president to call in the National Guard when the country is at risk of invasion or rebellion.
That means at least 4,100 National Guard troops and 700 Marines have been deployed to the streets of L.A. after 2,100 were sent there on June 9. Tuesday’s statement confirms a statement from last Monday on the troop increase.
The soldiers cannot participate in civilian policing, leading city leaders to attack the deployments as political theater.
“The soldiers are completing 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,” the military statement said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the move and said the troops would be “twiddling their thumbs.”
“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,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson from Newsom’s office, said.
Newsom said last week that the deployment of an extra 2,000 personnel would be “reckless, pointless and disrespectful to our troops.”
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has called the deployment a “chaotic escalation.”
The confirmation of the extra personnel came hours after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on whether the federal government can deploy troops to American cities, or should turn over their command to Californian officials.
The court heard an appeal and ruled last week that President Donald Trump can retain command of the troops, pausing a ruling from District Court Judge Charles Breyer that said the deployment was unlawful.
Tuesday’s hearing considered whether the most recent order can stand as the case proceeds through the courts. The three-judge panel seemed unlikely to be interested in lifting the pause that was imposed by the Appeals Court.
That court is expected to make a decision in the coming days, ahead of a Friday hearing before Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco federal court.
The Appeals Court’s decision — and any potential Supreme Court involvement — could have huge ramifications for the political executive’s powers and activities in Washington and whether troops can be sent to other cities.
