Trump allowed to keep National Guard in Los Angeles as more protests planned
National Guard members keep watch outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, during a protest against federal immigration sweeps, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 12, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump can keep his deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, according to a court ruling, as protests against immigration raids look set to enter their second week in the strongest backlash since his return to power in January.
Trump on Friday welcomed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that temporarily paused a lower court ruling that blocked the mobilization, although it does not mean that the court will ultimately agree to side with him.
"We saved L.A. Thank you for the Decision!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Cities across the United States were bracing for more demonstrations especially on Saturday, when those also opposed to a weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary are expected to take to the streets.
"They've defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services," the group No Kings, which is behind the day of action, wrote on its website.
A battalion of 700 U.S. Marines was expected to arrive on Friday in Los Angeles, marking an extraordinary use of military forces to support civilian police operations within the United States.
Troops have stood guard at a federal detention center in the city's downtown where many of the protests have taken place in a show of solidarity for immigrants detained inside.
The protests so far have been mostly peaceful, punctuated by incidents of violence, and restricted to a few city blocks.
Demonstrations have also taken place in other U.S. cities this week including New York and Chicago.
The guard had also accompanied Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on operations to detain immigrants.
Democratic leaders in California have strongly opposed the ramping up of immigration enforcement since it began last Friday.
"Peace begins with ICE leaving Los Angeles," Mayor Karen Bass, who has imposed a nighttime curfew over one square mile (2.5 square km) of downtown Los Angeles, said on Thursday.
Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm-breaking political style that got him elected twice.
Democrats have said that the use of military force was unnecessary and an example of Trump's authoritarianism.
Americans are divided over Trump's decision to activate the military.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday showed that 48% of respondents agreed with a statement that the president should "deploy the military to bring order to the streets" when protests turned violent, while 41% disagreed.
(Writing by Costas Pitas; Editing by Mary Milliken and Mark Porter)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Bahrain, Kuwait prepare for possible Iran conflict spread
FILE PHOTO: A general downtown view is seen with heat haze over the skyline during the afternoon hours in Manama, Bahrain, August 2, 2023. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo DUBAI (Reuters) -Bahrain and Kuwait, home to U.S. bases, made preparations on Sunday for the possibility the Iran conflict might spread to their territory, with Bahrain urging drivers to avoid main roads and Kuwait establishing shelters in a ministries complex after U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. U.S. forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites late on Saturday, and President Donald Trump warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. Tehran had previously warned if it was attacked by the United States, it could target American assets in the region, including U.S. military bases. Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and there are several U.S. bases in Kuwait. "In light of recent developments in the regional security situation, we urge citizens and residents to use main roads only when necessary, to maintain public safety and to allow the relevant authorities to use the roads efficiently," Bahrain's interior ministry said in a post on X. Bahrain also told 70% of government employees to work from home on Sunday until further notice, citing escalating tensions, according the Civil Service Bureau. Kuwait set up shelters in the country's ministries complex, an extensive compound of buildings that houses several government departments, including the ministries of justice and finance, the finance ministry said. Bahraini authorities earlier this week said they had activated a national plan and a national civil emergency centre to prepare in case of emergencies and proceeded to test warning sirens across the country. Regional media also reported the country had set up 33 shelters. (Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo; Writing by Federico Maccioni in Dubai, Editing by Hugh Lawson, Andrew Mills and Clelia Oziel)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Ukraine fighting 10,000 Russian troops in Kursk region, Ukrainian commander says
FILE PHOTO: Colonel general Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, attends an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine January 12, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo KYIV (Reuters) -Around 10,000 Russian soldiers are fighting in Russia's Kursk region, about 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) of which is controlled by Ukraine, Ukraine's top military commander said. "We control about 90 square kilometers of territory in the Hlushkov district of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, and these are our preemptive actions in response to a possible enemy attack," Oleksandr Syrskyi said without elaborating, in remarks released by his office for publicationonSunday. The Ukrainian military said the activity in this area prevented Russia from sending a significant number of its forces to Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, where some of the heaviest fighting has taken place in the more than three-year-old full-scale invasion. Syrskyi's troops are repelling Russian forces along the frontline, which stretches for about 1,200 km, where the situation remains difficult, the Ukrainian military said. Russian gains have accelerated in May and June, though the Ukrainian military says it comes at a cost of high Russian casualties in small assault-group attacks. While the military says its troops repelled Russian approaches toward Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region borders last week, the pressure continues in the country's eastern and northern regions. The Russian military also continues its deadly drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian cities further from the front, prompting Ukraine to innovate its approaches to air defence. Ukraine's military said it currently destroys around 82% of Shahed-type drones launched by Russia but requires more surface-to-air missile systems to defend critical infrastructure and cities. The military said the air force was also working on developing the use of light aircraft and drone interceptors in repelling Russian assaults which can involve hundreds of drones. Ukraine also relies on its long-range capabilities to deal damage to economic and military targets on Russian territory, increasing the cost of war to Moscow. Between January and May, Ukraine dealt over $1.3 billion in direct losses in the Russian oil refining and fuel production industry, energy and transport supplies as well as strategic communications, the Ukrainian military said. It also dealt at least $9.5 billion more of indirect damages through the destabilization of the oil refining industry, disruption of logistics and forced shutdown of enterprises, it added. It was not clear whether the Ukrainian military included the damages from its operation "Spider's Web" which damaged Russian warplanes -- and Ukraine said cost billions in losses -- in the estimates. (Reporting by Sergiy Karazy; writing by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
16 hurt, building hit in Israel after Iran launches missiles
Rescuers working at a site hit by a missile attack from Iran, on June 22. - Photo: Reuters JERUSALEM: At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles following a US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said. Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said it 'evacuated 16 people to hospital, including a 30-year-old man in moderate condition after being wounded in the upper body by shrapnel'. Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble that it said was in central Israel, following the two waves of missiles launched from around 7.30am (12.30pm Malaysian time). Sirens rang around the country after the Israeli army reported the incoming missiles, with air defences activated shortly after, causing loud explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israeli police reported 'the fall of weapon fragments' in a northern area encompassing the port of Haifa, where authorities said emergency services were heading to an 'accident site'. Reporting on missile strikes is subject to strict military censorship rules in Israel, but at least 50 impacts have been officially acknowledged and 25 people have been killed since the war began with Iran on June 13, according to official figures. Coastal hub Tel Aviv, southern city Beersheba and northern port Haifa have been the three areas most frequently targeted. Israel's air defences have intercepted more than 450 missiles along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military. - AFP
