Hundreds of U.S. Marines were deployed to Los Angeles Monday in response to continued protests over immigration enforcement raids, joining forces with California National Guard troops already on the ground.
U.S. Northern Command confirmed Monday that about 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Twentynine Palms east of Los Angeles "will seamlessly integrate" with federalized National Guard troops that arrived Sunday to help protect federal facilities and personnel.
The Marine deployment will ensure there are "adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency," according to U.S. Northern Command.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom was quick to condemn the move, saying Marines "shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial president. This is un-American."
Rep. Mike Levin, D-Los Angeles, issued a statement calling the Marine deployment "an astounding overreach of authoritarian power."
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, meanwhile, said his agency had been given no formal notice about Marines being deployed to the city.
"However, the possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles -- absent clear coordination -- presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city," McDonnell said in a statement. "The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively. That said, our top priority is the safety of both the public and the officers on the ground. We are urging open and continuous lines of communication between all agencies to prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time."
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