Tensions in Los Angeles reached a critical point on Monday as the Pentagon announced the deployment of approximately 700 Marines to assist National Guard members in responding to ongoing immigration protests, reported The Associated Press.
This move comes as California prepares to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, challenging his use of federal troops within the state.
The Marines are reportedly en route to Los Angeles from their base at Twentynine Palms in Southern California. Their arrival will bolster the presence of an estimated 1,000 National Guard members already in the city under federal orders.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta publicly announced the state's intention to sue, asserting that President Trump had "trampled" California's sovereignty.
"We don’t take lightly to the president abusing his authority and unlawfully mobilizing California National Guard troops," Bonta stated. The lawsuit will seek a court order to declare Trump's deployment unlawful and a restraining order to halt further operations.
The deployment follows several days of escalating demonstrations in Los Angeles. Monday saw thousands gather around City Hall for a union rally in support of labor leader David Huerta, who was arrested Friday during immigration raids and later released on bond. Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union California, has become a symbol for those angered by the administration's crackdown.
Bonta directly linked Trump's deployment announcement to the Sunday clashes between protesters and law enforcement, which saw self-driving cars set ablaze and police respond with tear gas and rubber bullets. "This was not inevitable," Bonta declared.
President Trump, however, defended his decision, claiming Monday that Los Angeles "would have been completely obliterated" if he had not deployed the Guard. He further asserted that state leaders "were afraid to do anything."