Trump Immigration Protests Prompt National Guard Withdrawal \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Pentagon is ending most National Guard deployments in Los Angeles tied to immigration protest responses. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered 1,350 troops home, leaving only 250 for federal security. California leaders called the troop presence unnecessary and criticized Trump’s federal intervention.
Quick Looks
- Pentagon to withdraw all but 250 National Guard troops from Los Angeles
- Troops were deployed to protect federal assets amid immigration protest unrest
- Original deployment included 4,000 Guard members and 700 Marines
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered 1,350 troops home this week
- Marines and half the Guard force were already withdrawn earlier
- Remaining troops will protect federal agents and facilities
- Gov. Gavin Newsom called deployment “political theater” and sued to stop it
- Local officials blamed federal troops for inflaming tensions
- Small, scattered protests continue across the region
- Appeals court blocked lower court ruling limiting Trump’s Guard authority
Deep Look
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it is ending most National Guard deployments in Los Angeles, a move that comes weeks after the Trump administration sent thousands of troops to the city in response to demonstrations over federal immigration enforcement. The decision follows increasing criticism from California leaders, who argued the deployment was politically motivated and exacerbated tensions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered 1,350 National Guard personnel to return home this week, leaving just 250 troops behind to continue providing security for federal buildings and personnel, particularly around immigration operations. The decision, made public in a statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, signals a major drawdown after more than a month of controversy and legal battles.
The original troop deployment began in early June, when approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 U.S. Marines were mobilized to Los Angeles in response to protests against the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown. The deployment, which occurred over the objections of local and state officials, was one of the largest domestic troop activations of the year.
Though officials claimed the forces were needed to safeguard federal property from unrest, state and city leaders disagreed, arguing that the troop presence was unnecessary and potentially provocative. Mayor Karen Bass took to social media on Wednesday night, calling the withdrawal “another win for Los Angeles.”
Most of the Guard forces had been stationed at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, outside the city, and were rarely seen in public. Their visible presence was limited primarily to two federal locations, including the ICE field office and a downtown immigration detention facility. A small number of soldiers were also assigned to protect federal officers during immigration raids, including a high-profile July 7 operation at MacArthur Park, where troops accompanied agents on horseback.
That operation — conducted in a neighborhood known for its large immigrant populations from Mexico and Central America — sparked renewed backlash. Though the operation ended abruptly, the presence of armed troops drew sharp criticism and amplified calls for the military’s withdrawal.
In Thursday’s Pentagon statement, Parnell praised the troops for what he described as successfully protecting “Federal functions against the rampant lawlessness occurring in the city.”
But California Gov. Gavin Newsom offered a starkly different view. In a statement, he accused the Trump administration of using the military as “props in the federal government’s propaganda machine.” He added, “The women and men of our military deserve more than to be used in political theater.”
Newsom had filed a lawsuit in June, arguing that Trump violated federal law by activating the National Guard in California without state consent. The lawsuit requested an emergency injunction to stop Guard personnel from participating in federal immigration raids. A lower court sided with Newsom, ordering the Trump administration to return command authority over the Guard to the state — but that ruling was later blocked by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing Trump’s deployment to continue, at least temporarily.
Legal experts note that the confrontation has reignited long-standing constitutional debates over federal versus state control of National Guard units, particularly in politically charged situations. The Trump administration defended the move as necessary for national security and law enforcement support, while Newsom and California Democrats saw it as an overreach aimed at intimidating immigrant communities.
Protests in the region have largely diminished in size and frequency over the past two weeks, shifting from large coordinated marches to small, spontaneous demonstrations, often occurring near immigration detention sites or during ICE raids. The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have intensified in recent months, and the Pentagon’s move to scale back its physical presence may reflect both reduced need and growing political pressure.
With only 250 troops remaining, their mission will now focus solely on guarding federal property and assisting in high-risk law enforcement activities. Whether legal challenges against the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown gain traction remains to be seen, but the partial withdrawal is being interpreted by many in California as a sign of local pushback gaining ground.
As of now, no further troop reductions have been announced, but legal battles and public scrutiny continue to shape the scope of federal military involvement in domestic immigration enforcement.
Trump Immigration Protests
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