U.S. military personnel deployed to Los Angeles are authorized to detain individuals until law enforcement can make arrests, a military official announced on Wednesday. As protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration raids continue to spread across the nation, hundreds of Marines are preparing to enter the city.
Major General Scott Sherman, commanding the troops, stated that while the 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard members do not have arrest authority, they can temporarily detain people if necessary to protect federal personnel or property. “They have the power to detain individuals until law enforcement can take over,” Sherman told reporters.
The Marines, currently training at Seal Beach just south of Los Angeles County, will not carry live ammunition in their rifles, Sherman added. A U.S. official clarified that Sherman’s comments are in line with standard rules of engagement and do not signify an expansion of military authority.
The Pentagon has indicated that troops will also safeguard Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during raids. On Tuesday, ICE shared photos online showing National Guard troops standing guard with weapons as ICE officers detained apparent migrants in Los Angeles.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed concerns that allowing federal troops to protect personnel may violate an 1878 law prohibiting the U.S. military from engaging in civilian law enforcement. “Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods,” Bonta said.
Sherman did not specify how many raids troops had accompanied ICE agents on but mentioned that around 1,000 troops have participated in operations to protect federal buildings and law enforcement.
President Trump asserts that the military deployment in Los Angeles has prevented violence from escalating, citing incidents where protesters threw projectiles at officers. However, Governor Gavin Newsom and other local officials dispute this claim, emphasizing that protests have been largely peaceful and confined to a few downtown streets.
The protests began on Friday in response to federal immigration raids in the city and have since remained mostly peaceful. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew over a one-square-mile area of downtown starting on Tuesday night after some businesses were looted.
The Los Angeles Police Department reported 225 arrests on Tuesday, including 203 individuals for failing to disperse and 17 for violating the curfew.
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Troops in LA can detain individuals, official says, as protests spread
cgtn.com
