Pentagon Announces Withdrawal Of Thousands Of Troops From Los Angeles

The Pentagon announced Tuesday that 2,000 National Guardsmen sent to Los Angeles to quell the June riots would be withdrawn. Pentagon Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell cited mission success as the reason for the withdrawal.

In a statement Tuesday, Parnell said, “Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding. … As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen from the federal protection mission.”

Following increased apprehension rates by ICE agents in the Los Angeles area in early June, protests against the federal agents broke out. Videos quickly surfaced of rioters throwing bricks and Molotov cocktails at armored vehicles.

Responding decisively to what he called “violent, insurrectionist mobs,” President Donald Trump federalized 4,000 members of the California National Guard within days. Trump argued that the government needed to step in to protect overwhelmed law enforcement personnel and federal buildings, as well as to restore order to the city.

Following closely on the heels of the deployment of the National Guard, the Trump administration then sent about 700 Marines to support local law enforcement.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) criticized the federalization of the state’s National Guard, which he argued was not only ineffective and unnecessary but unconstitutional as well. Based on his assessment of the unconstitutionality of Trump’s actions, he sued the Trump administration.

An appeals court promptly heard the case and dismissed it. “Both irreparable harm and the public interest weigh in favor of Defendants, who have an uncontested interest in the protection of federal agents and property and the faithful execution of law,” the court wrote in its decision.

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass originally fumed over Trump’s deployment of soldiers to her city, calling it a “chaotic escalation.” Within a few days of the federal troops’ arrival in L.A., Bass instituted a curfew.

Since their deployment, the military personnel in L.A. have continued to assist in the enforcement of immigration law while protecting federal property. In a recent clash, the military collaborated with ICE agents to raid a park known to be controlled by MS-13 gang members.

According to a new estimate, the deployment of the 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines cost the federal government around $130 million. 

Reacting to the news that half of the active National Guardsmen in Los Angeles will be withdrawn, Bass said in a post that, “This retreat happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong. … We will not stop making our voices heard until this ends, not just here in LA, but throughout our country.”