Los Angeles: The US military has confirmed the deployment of 700 Marines to Los Angeles County amid protests against US President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
“Approximately 700 Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division will seamlessly integrate with the Title 10 forces under Task Force 51 in the Los Angeles Area,” the US Northern Command said in a statement.
The unrest began on June 7 after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in downtown Los Angeles, where a massive operation was conducted to identify undocumented immigrants. The clashes with protesters came amid reports of potential cuts to federal funding for the state. The following day, the White House announced that 2,000 National Guard troops would be deployed to the city.
Los Angeles County officials later said they had not requested the National Guard and stressed that the decision to deploy it was made without consulting local officials. It became a public point of contention between the Republican White House and the state’s Democratic leadership.
