National Guard Deployed in Los Angeles as ICE Carries Out Enforcement Operations
In a move that has sparked controversy, the National Guard was deployed in Los Angeles on Tuesday to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers as they carried out enforcement operations in the city. According to images shared by ICE on X, the National Guard troops were used to protect federal law enforcement officers and property during the operations.
The deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles was announced by the Trump administration, which cast it as a necessary move to quell protests that had erupted in a section of the city over ICE enforcement actions. According to CNN, multiple sources confirmed that the National Guard’s focus while in LA was to protect property and personnel, and that its members do not have authority to arrest.
The images shared by ICE on X show authorities arresting individuals, as troops stand by, appearing to guard the area around the operation – in other words, serving as a security perimeter. The caption read: “Photos from today’s ICE Los Angeles immigration enforcement operation.” CNN reported that former senior ICE officials who spoke to the news provider couldn’t recall any time the National Guard had been involved in an ICE interior operation.
According to CNN, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that troops are on the ground to protect federal law enforcement officers and property. “Military troops are providing protection for federal law enforcement officers as they continue operations to remove the worst of the worst from Los Angeles,” she said. “If any rioters attack ICE law enforcement officers, military personnel have the authority to temporarily detain them until law enforcement makes the arrest. The violence against ICE law enforcement must end.”
The use of the National Guard in ICE operations has sparked concerns among some experts, who argue that it is a significant escalation of the use of military force in civilian law enforcement. John Sandweg, former acting ICE director during the Obama administration, told CNN that “even if lawful, however, the idea of the National Guard supplementing ICE officers on interior enforcement is almost certainly a first.”
The deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles is the latest development in a series of controversies surrounding ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. CNN reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth celebrated the move on X, posting one of the images on Tuesday and saying: “This We’ll Defend.” The news provider has confirmed that the post has been updated with additional details.
The situation in Los Angeles remains fluid, with concerns about the use of military force in civilian law enforcement and the impact on communities. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles has significant implications for the use of military force in ICE operations and the ongoing debate over immigration policy in the United States. According to CNN, the use of the National Guard in ICE operations is a story that will continue to be closely watched in the days and weeks to come.
