Pentagon Scales Back Military Deployment In Los Angeles, Thousands Of Troops To Remain

LOS ANGELES, CA — Half of the California National Guard troops that were contentiously deployed to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump amid unrest sparked by immigration-enforcement raids will return to their normal duties, federal officials announced Tuesday.

Trump on June 7 ordered that 2,000 Guard members be deployed to Los Angeles. He later ordered another 2,000 troops to the city along with 700 U.S. Marines. The California guard is normally under Gov. Gavin Newsom's control. State officials opposed Trump's federalization of the troops and has been fighting the move in court, calling the operation unlawful and a misuse of military force. A judge ruled in favor of the federal government.

The Pentagon on Tuesday issued a statement saying some of the troops were being released from federal control.

"Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding," spokesman Sean Parnell wrote. "As such, the Secretary has ordered the release of 2,000 California National Guardsmen from the federal protection mission."

State officials said that 3,882 members of the California National Guard were currently on the deployment, and 1,990 of them belong to the brigade being let go. Another 1,892 members of another brigade are set to remain, the New York Times reported.

While the troops were initially deployed to protect federal buildings during the unrest, according to federal officials, more recently they've been used to support raids by federal immigration authorities.

That includes a large-scale raid at MacArthur Parkearlier this month that Newsom called "cruel" political theater.

Following the Pentagon's announcement Tuesday, Assemblyman Mark González, D-Los Angeles, issued a statement calling the release of troops "long overdue."

"Our communities should never have been treated like a war zone for demanding dignity, safety and due process," he said. "Deploying National Guard troops against immigrant families and peaceful protesters was an abuse of power rooted in fear, not fact."

Newsom said in a statement, "For more than a month, (the National Guard) has been pulled away from their families, communities and civilian work to serve as political pawns for the president in Los Angeles. While nearly 2,000 of them are starting to demobilize, the remaining guardsmembers continue without a mission, without direction and without any hopes of returning to help their communities. We call on Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theater and send everyone home now."

Mayor Karen Bass planned a 5 p.m. news conference in response to the announcement.

City News Service contributed to this report.