The Trump administration is mobilizing 700 Marines based out of Twentynine Palms, California, for Los Angeles, the scene of protests against immigration enforcement operations, a defense official has confirmed with NPR.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, says the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines is expected to operate in a “support role.”
Northern Command is expected to release more details on the deployment Thursday morning.
Another U.S. official confirmed the news, noting the mobilization was not an invocation of the Insurrection Act.
The move came the same day California sued the Trump administration over the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles.
In their lawsuit, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta said Trump’s activation of the Guard violated the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution because Newsom did not ask for the troops.
Trump on Truth Social said Monday that Los Angeles would be “completely obliterated” without his deployment of the Guard.
Over the weekend, the White House said that active duty armed forces could be used to “augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property,” the same missions the Guard is performing.
The administration has in total deployed 2,000 Guard personnel to the city.
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