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Trump admin to remove 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles in immigration rollback
The move would leave around 2,000 more National Guard troops and 700 Marines in the region, without a clear indication of how long they would stay.
Trump admin to remove 2,000 National Guard troops from Los Angeles in immigration rollback
National Guard deployment went against the wishes of Governor Gavin Newsom, who sued to stop the deployment. / AP
10 hours ago

The Trump administration has said it is ending the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced the decision in a statement on Tuesday.

"Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding," Parnell said in a statement.

"As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen from the federal protection mission," he added.

Roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines had been deployed. It wasn't immediately clear how long the rest would stay in the region.

The troops were tasked with protecting federal buildings and guarding immigration agents as they carried out arrests.

The deployment began in early June and was slated to last 60 days.

President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of about 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 active duty Marines in early June to respond to a series of protests against immigration raids in and around Los Angeles.

RelatedTRT Global - No invasion or rebellion — Experts question legality of Trump's troop deployment in Los Angeles

'Political pawns'

Their deployment went against the wishes of Governor Gavin Newsom, who sued to stop the deployment.

A district court judge initially said Trump acted illegally when he deployed the Guard over Newsom’s opposition. But an appeals court said the administration could keep control of the troops. The case is ongoing.

Newsom said the National Guard's deployment to LA has pulled troops away from their families and civilian work "to serve as political pawns for the President in Los Angeles."

"While nearly 2,000 of them are starting to demobilise, the remaining guardsmembers continue without a mission, without direction and without any hopes of returning to help their communities," he said in a statement.

"We call on Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theater and send everyone home now."

SOURCE:TRT World & Agencies
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