Marines to deploy on LA streets within two days with authority to detain civilians

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered 700 Marines to reinforce National Guard troops in Los Angeles within 48 hours—an unprecedented deployment that allows soldiers to detain anyone who hinders immigration raids, intensifying a showdown with California and fuelling nationwide protests.

U.S. Marines will be deployed alongside National Guard troops on the streets of Los Angeles within 48 hours and may detain anyone who obstructs immigration raids or confronts federal agents, officials said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump authorised the deployment over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom, igniting a national debate over the use of federal forces on American soil. Demonstrations—largely peaceful but occasionally violent—have rocked Los Angeles for six straight days and have spread to other cities, including New York, Atlanta and Chicago. The protests began after a series of immigration raids last Friday; Trump called in the National Guard on Saturday and requested Marines on Monday.

A Marine battalion of 700 personnel has completed training in de-escalation and crowd control. Under Title 10 authority, they will protect federal property and can temporarily detain individuals who assault or impede officers, according to U.S. Northern Command.

California has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the deployment, arguing the legal conditions for federal troops have not been met. A hearing on a temporary restraining order is set for Thursday in a San Francisco federal court. The White House contends the president may determine when a “rebellion or danger of rebellion” warrants military intervention.

Meanwhile, protests have continued in Santa Ana, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, and other major cities. Organisers plan more than 1,800 nationwide demonstrations on Saturday—the same day Washington, D.C., hosts a military parade for the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday.

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