Trump Deploys 2,000 National Guard Troops to Los Angeles Amid Immigration Protests

President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration protests, despite objections from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. This move is not unprecedented; in 2020, Trump requested National Guard troops from several states to be sent to Washington, D.C. to address protests following the death of George Floyd. While many governors complied, those who refused were allowed to keep their troops within their states.

Unlike previous instances, Trump’s current action opposes Newsom, who typically retains control of California’s National Guard. Trump cited the need to “address the lawlessness” in California, while Newsom criticized the move as “purposely inflammatory” and likely to escalate tensions.

The legal framework for deploying troops on U.S. soil is somewhat ambiguous. Generally, federal military forces are prohibited from performing civilian law enforcement duties except in emergencies. The Insurrection Act, an 18th-century law, allows the president to activate the military or National Guard during times of rebellion or unrest. However, Trump did not invoke this act but instead relied on a similar federal law permitting the federalization of National Guard troops under specific conditions: invasion or threat of invasion, rebellion or threat of rebellion, or the president’s inability to execute U.S. laws with regular forces.

Trump’s proclamation specifies that the National Guard troops will support ICE officers in enforcing the law, rather than engaging in law enforcement themselves. This limitation is due to the National Guard’s inability to legally perform ordinary law enforcement activities without the Insurrection Act being invoked. Steve Vladeck, a Georgetown University Law Center professor, warns that this supporting role could still result in the use of force and may precede more aggressive troop deployments.

Historically, the Insurrection Act has been used to protect civil rights activists and students during desegregation efforts, as well as to respond to riots. National Guard troops have also been deployed for various emergencies, typically with gubernatorial agreement. Trump’s willingness to use military force on home soil was evident in 2020 when he threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act following George Floyd’s death, though he ultimately did not. During his campaign for a second term, Trump indicated a willingness to use the military more aggressively, including deploying the National Guard to achieve his immigration enforcement goals. Following his recent announcement, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hinted at further mobilizations if violence persists.