The 700 Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, stationed in Twentynine Palms, California, will be tasked with protecting federal property and personnel, including immigration officers, according to the U.S. military.
On Monday night, Los Angeles police used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside an immigration detention center in downtown LA.
The National Guard formed barricades to protect the facility.
Police reported that some protesters threw objects at officers. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi later revealed the identity of a suspect accused of throwing rocks at federal agents: Elpidio Reyna, who has since been added to the national “Most Wanted” list.
Protests also broke out in at least nine other U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Austin, and San Francisco.
The demonstrations began on Friday following reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Latino neighborhoods.
What began as peaceful protests quickly escalated into looting, car burnings, rock-throwing, and major highway blockades. The LAPD arrested 29 individuals on Saturday night and 21 more on Sunday.
The suspects face charges ranging from attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail, assault on police officers, to looting.
Authorities said they fired over 600 rubber bullets and other non-lethal rounds over the weekend.
At the White House, President Trump claimed his decision to deploy the National Guard had saved the city from destruction.
“You saw the same footage I did—cars burning, riots happening. We stopped it,” he said.
Trump also expressed support for suggestions that the California governor should be arrested for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement.
In response, Newsom posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling Trump’s actions “a clear step toward authoritarianism.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass echoed other local officials by describing the troop deployment as a “deliberate attempt” by the Trump administration to sow disorder in the city.
She added that she was aware of at least five ICE raids throughout the region on Monday, including one near her grandson’s school.