Explained: What role US troops will play in Los Angeles protests and the legal grounds for their deployment

AI Summary

The Trump administration is deploying 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles to protect federal property and personnel during ongoing protests. National Guard troops are typically state-based reservists trained for emergencies, while Marines are active duty, full-time personnel trained for global conflicts. Trump invoked Title 10 of the US Code, specifically Section 12406, to federalize the National Guard, citing the need to execute US laws. The deployment also includes active duty Marines under a task force known as Task Force 51.