National Guard troops protect immigration officers in large-scale LA operation

Three judges ruled that the president can seize at least some power of the state's National Guard as long as there is *** defensible reason for doing so. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump administration presented enough evidence of violence coming from protesters and that deploying California's National Guard was in the federal government's interest in preventing incidents. The decision. overturns *** lower court's ruling that said Trump had illegally activated the National Guard troops despite clear opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom, concerned that it would inflame tensions, waste resources, and undermine local authority. But the ruling is only temporary. Governor Newsom says he plans to keep challenging the decision in court in Washington. I'm Amy Lou.

Updated: 2:18 PM CDT Jul 7, 2025

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National Guard troops protect immigration officers in large-scale LA operation

Updated: 2:18 PM CDT Jul 7, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

About 90 members of the California National Guard and over dozen military vehicles like Humvees are helping protect immigration officers Monday as they carry out a raid in a Los Angeles park, defense officials said.The operation in MacArthur Park, which is in a neighborhood with a large immigrant population about 2 miles west of downtown LA, includes 17 Humvees, four tactical vehicles, two ambulances and the armed soldiers. It comes after President Donald Trump deployed thousands of Guard members and active duty Marines to the city last month following protests over previous immigration raids.Trump has stepped up efforts to realize his campaign pledge of deporting millions of immigrants in the United States illegally and shown a willingness to use the nation’s military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided.The officials told reporters that it was not a military operation but acknowledged that the size and scope of the Guard’s participation could make it look like one to the public. That is why the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details about the raid that were not announced publicly.“It’s just going to be more overt and larger than we usually participate in,” one of the officials said.The primary role of the service members would be to protect the immigration enforcement officers in case a hostile crowd gathered, that official said. They are not participating in any law enforcement activities such as arrests, but service members can temporarily detain citizens if necessary before handing them over to law enforcement, the official said.The operation is occurring at a park in a neighborhood with large Mexican, Central American and other immigrant populations and is lined by businesses with signs in Spanish and other languages that has been dubbed by local officials as the “Ellis Island of the West Coast.”Sprawling MacArthur Park has a murky lake ringed by palm trees, an amphitheater that hosts summer concerts and sports fields where immigrant families line up to play soccer in the evenings and on weekends. Authorities routinely clear encampments and medical outreach teams tend to unhoused residents.The officials said the officers enforcing immigration laws were planning to wear a dark blue top to differentiate them from troops. The officers would still be wearing camouflage pants.More than 4,000 California National Guard and hundreds of U.S. Marines have been deployed in Los Angeles since June — against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Last week, the military announced about 200 of those troops would be returned to their units to fight wildfires.

LOS ANGELES —

The operation in MacArthur Park, which is in a neighborhood with a large immigrant population about 2 miles west of downtown LA, includes 17 Humvees, four tactical vehicles, two ambulances and the armed soldiers. It comes after President Donald Trump deployed thousands of Guard members and active duty Marines to the city last month following protests over previous immigration raids.

Trump has stepped up efforts to realize his campaign pledge of deporting millions of immigrants in the United States illegally and shown a willingness to use the nation’s military might in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided.

The officials told reporters that it was not a military operation but acknowledged that the size and scope of the Guard’s participation could make it look like one to the public. That is why the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details about the raid that were not announced publicly.

“It’s just going to be more overt and larger than we usually participate in,” one of the officials said.

The primary role of the service members would be to protect the immigration enforcement officers in case a hostile crowd gathered, that official said. They are not participating in any law enforcement activities such as arrests, but service members can temporarily detain citizens if necessary before handing them over to law enforcement, the official said.

The operation is occurring at a park in a neighborhood with large Mexican, Central American and other immigrant populations and is lined by businesses with signs in Spanish and other languages that has been dubbed by local officials as the “Ellis Island of the West Coast.”

Sprawling MacArthur Park has a murky lake ringed by palm trees, an amphitheater that hosts summer concerts and sports fields where immigrant families line up to play soccer in the evenings and on weekends. Authorities routinely clear encampments and medical outreach teams tend to unhoused residents.

The officials said the officers enforcing immigration laws were planning to wear a dark blue top to differentiate them from troops. The officers would still be wearing camouflage pants.

More than 4,000 California National Guard and hundreds of U.S. Marines have been deployed in Los Angeles since June — against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Last week, the military announced about 200 of those troops would be returned to their units to fight wildfires.

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