Pentagon ends deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Pentagon said Tuesday it is ending the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, accounting for nearly half of the soldiers sent to the city to deal with protests over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Roughly 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines have been in the city since early June. It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the 60-day deployment to end suddenly, nor was it immediately clear how long the rest of the troops would stay in the region.

“Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement in announcing the decision.

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

President Donald Trump ordered the deployment against the wishes of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who sued to stop it.

A federal 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 in a statement that the National Guard’s deployment to Los Angeles County has pulled troops away from their families and civilian work “to serve as political pawns for the President.”

He added that the remaining troops “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,” he said.

Klepper reported from Washington and Taxin from Santa Ana, California. Sophie Austin in Sacramento and Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report.