US Marines arrive in LA as Trump defends military deployment
(VOVWORLD) - Hundreds of US Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions in America's second largest city.
 Members of the US National Guard stand outside the federal building in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Reuters) |
Trump's extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests, which broke out in response to his immigration raids, fueled demonstrations for a fifth day in Los Angeles, and sparked protests in several other cities.
California Governor Gavin Christopher Newsom called the deployments an illegal waste of resources. He and the state sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops.
President Trump said on Tuesday the military deployment was needed to protect federal property and personnel. He left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the US to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations.