In a dramatic gesture, US President Donald Trump has sent more troops to Los Angeles than are serving in Iraq and Syria combined, amid protests against his administration's tough immigration enforcement measures.
In a report by ABC News, some 4,800 soldiers, 4,000 of them National Guard and more than 700 active-duty Marines, have been mobilized in Los Angeles. This number exceeds the number of troops deployed in Iraq, which stands at 2,500, and in Syria, which stands at 1,500, marking the magnitude of the operation at home.
The cost for the deployment, according to estimates by the Pentagon, is $134 million within a span of 60 days, putting a massive strain on taxpayers.
Protests Erupted Over ICE Raids
Tempers ran high in Los Angeles on June 6, as the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched sweeping raids to capture undocumented immigrants. By the following day, the authorities had detained at least 44 suspects of immigration offenses. What started out as peaceful protests quickly turned into widespread disturbances, as the president ordered a large-scale troop deployment to contain the situation.
California Governor Pushes Back
Trump's deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles without permission from California Governor Gavin Newsom has triggered a hot political and legal revolt. Democratic Governor Newsom sued the Trump administration, charging the president with exceeding his authority and fueling violence for political gain.
"Democracy is under attack right before our very eyes," Newsom cautioned in a televised address on Tuesday. "California might be first, but clearly won't be last."
Critics say Trump, who campaigned last year partly on a vow to take a tough approach to immigration, is leveraging the deployment to promote his political fortunes among right-wing voters. His action was the first time in decades that a US president has ordered National Guard troops to be mobilized on their own without the approval of a state governor.
Protests Spread Nationwide
In spite of the display of military might in Los Angeles, protests have grown throughout the nation, with citizens congregating in cities ranging from New York to Chicago against what they perceive as unjust and inhumane immigration policies. Trump threatened protesters that he is ready to employ "heavy force" if needed.
Foreign Troop Reductions Amid Domestic Turmoil
Even as military presence on American streets continues to increase, Trump is said to be planning a drawdown of American troops in the Middle East in view of persisting instability in the region. Addressing reporters on Wednesday, he stated, "They [the Middle East] could be a dangerous place," and maintained that Iran was not going to get nuclear weapons.
The counterintuitive troop deployments—drawing down overseas forces while ramping up deployments domestically—underscore the administration's changing security priorities during an era of deep domestic polarization.
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