The deployment of nearly 5,000 military personnel in Los Angeles ordered by Donald Trump to contain the protests sparked by the immigration raids of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will cost the United States government $134 million.
On Sunday, the Trump administration, through the Pentagon, ordered the deployment of 2,000 members of the California National Guard. However, on Monday, despite there not being major unrest or protests, 700 Marines were added along with another 2,000 National Guard members.
According to information from The Associated Press, the presence of marines, who arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday, was reportedly ordered to defend federal facilities, according to General Eric Smith, and they do not have the authority to make arrests.
Hegseth defends the militarization of Los Angeles in a tense hearing
According to an article from The New York Times, during an appearance before the House Appropriations Committee, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was harshly questioned by Democrats and supported the decision to deploy.
He argued that the armed forces play a legitimate role in border control and the enforcement of migration laws. Although at first the head of the Pentagon avoided detailing the cost of the operation, it was his own office that finally, through the department’s acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, revealed the figure of $134 million associated with the mobilization.
The operation, which will last for 60 days, represents one of the largest recent expenses in the use of military forces on national territory in times of peace. Federal authorities have deployed troops in key points in downtown Los Angeles, although they have maintained a low profile during the protests.
The use of troops on US soil remains an exceptional and, in many cases, controversial measure. California filed a lawsuit last Monday to halt the presence of the National Guard and marines in the region, arguing that their intervention has not been justified and that the decision lies with Governor Gavin Newsom.
The confrontation between Trump and Newsom escalates
Governor Gavin Newsom publicly denied having spoken with the president on Monday, as Trump had claimed in front of the press.
Through his social media channels, Newsom sent a direct message: “Americans should be alarmed that a president who deploys marines on our streets doesn’t even know who he’s talking to.”
Meanwhile, the president once again warned about the protests, this time in relation to the unprecedented military parade scheduled for Saturday in the capital, which also coincides with his birthday. Although he acknowledged the right to peaceful protest, he made it clear that authorities will respond forcefully to any disruption of public order. “For those who want to protest, they will encounter a very strong force,” Trump said during a statement to journalists.
Although authorities have already started an operation to prevent protests on Saturday in the country’s capital, the Trump administration’s decision to send troops to Los Angeles sparked demonstrations in a dozen cities on Monday, including San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, and New York. In Santa Ana, south of Los Angeles, authorities reported the use of tear gas, pepper projectiles, and rubber bullets to disperse protesters who were throwing objects at the officers.