Trump sends over 500 Marines to control the influx of illegal immigrants

Amid growing unrest sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, the federal government has taken exceptional measures to restore order, so President Trump will send a battalion of Marines to contain the situation. 

Over the weekend, protests against President Donald Trump's immigration policies quickly escalated in violence, turning parts of the city, such as downtown and Highway 101, into war zones. 

Among the incidents, arson was reported in at least five autonomous vehicles belonging to Waymo, attacks with glass bottles and concrete blocks against the police, and damage to Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) facilities. 

In response to this situation, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Monday the deployment of 700 Marines from the Twentynine Palms base in the California desert to Los Angeles.

They will join the 300 National Guard members already deployed, as part of an executive order from President Trump, who mobilized a total of 2,000 National Guard personnel in the state.

The Marines belong to the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment and their mission will be the protection of federal property and personnel, although they will not perform direct law enforcement duties. However, it has not yet been clarified what the rules of engagement will be in the event of confrontations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom replied with hypocrisy. On Monday, he filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of violating the state's sovereignty by mobilizing the National Guard without his consent.

His office downplayed the deployment of the Marines, suggesting that it is not a "deployment" in the formal sense, but rather a movement between military bases, and harshly criticized what it considered an unnecessary and unprecedented escalation. "Mobilizing the best branch of the armed forces against American citizens is completely unjustified," the governor's office stated.

Meanwhile, President Trump strongly defended the measure, arguing that the situation was out of control and required immediate intervention. He expressed optimism regarding the effects of the deployment, stating: "I think we've got it very well under control."

Trump was also emphatic in warning that any show of aggression toward the personnel, such as spitting, would receive a forceful response: "IF YOU SPIT, WE WILL STRIKE," he wrote on X.

The influx of illegal immigrants began as protests against the immigration raids and the threat of mass deportations against these individuals who remain in the country illegally, driven by the Trump administration.

As tensions grew, protesters began to use Mexican flags and combinations of Mexican and American flags to conceal their faces. Some even resorted to unusual methods, such as a protester who arrived on stilts and was subdued by authorities.

So far, at least 56 arrests have been made since the demonstrations began on Friday. Although the deployment of Marines doesn't include direct law enforcement duties due to legal restrictions under the Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents the military from acting as an internal law enforcement force without invoking the Insurrection Act, the measure has caused significant controversy and political polarization