US Marines on Full Alert Near Los Angeles
According to webangah News Agency, US defense Secretary Pete Haggett stated that Marine forces could perhaps be called upon to suppress protests in Los Angeles following heightened tensions over federal raids targeting undocumented immigrants in several neighborhoods.
Haggett posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton – located approximately 100 miles (161 km) south of Los Angeles – are on “full alert” and could be mobilized if unrest intensifies.
The declaration comes as President Donald Trump has already deployed 2,000 federal personnel to the city amid growing protests against immigration enforcement operations. Demonstrations entered their second consecutive night,with federal agents reportedly clashing with angry crowds in one neighborhood,firing stun grenades and blocking a major highway during raids targeting undocumented migrants.
Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson Yasmin Pitts O’keefe confirmed 44 arrests for immigration violations across multiple locations so far.
As taking office in January 2025, President Trump has vowed strict enforcement against illegal immigration and mass deportations, controversially referring to some migrants as “monsters” and ”animals.”
California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the administration’s actions on X, calling them ”deliberate provocation” that only escalates tensions. He stated: “We remain in close coordination with local and regional officials. All current needs are being met.”