The Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 700 Marines from Los Angeles, as part of a gradual drawdown of forces deployed to support immigration enforcement efforts, under orders from US President Donald Trump.
USA Today reported on Tuesday that this action comes a week after 2,000 National Guard troops were withdrawn from the city following a decline in the intensity of protests that erupted last June against federal immigration policies, some of which turned violent.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that "the Marines played a critical role in restoring order."
He added that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the redeployment of forces as the situation in Los Angeles stabilized, stressing that "their presence sent a clear message that chaos will not be tolerated."
Trump and the US Secretary of Defense ordered the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles last June to protect federal buildings and support Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers pursuing immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally.
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