US Marines Detain Civilian in Unprecedented Domestic Operation in Los Angeles

 Los Angeles | June 14, 2025 — In a historic first, active-duty U.S. Marines operating in Los Angeles temporarily detained a civilian on Friday, the military has confirmed. The man was released shortly afterward to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Approximately 200 Marines—deployed under orders from former President Donald Trump—arrived earlier that day to secure the federal Wilshire Building amid days of protests sparked by immigration enforcement actions. Images captured by Reuters show Marines restraining the individual with zip ties before handing him over to DHS personnel.

A spokesman for U.S. Northern Command clarified that “active-duty forces may temporarily detain an individual in specific circumstances,” adding that any such detention concludes once civilian law enforcement assumes custody.

This deployment follows Trump’s controversial decision last weekend to assign National Guard troops to Los Angeles, defying strong opposition from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Major General Scott Sherman, commander of the joint task force of Marines and National Guardsmen, explained that Marines were tasked specifically with protecting the federal building.

While curfews in parts of downtown Los Angeles largely contained unrest overnight, protests persisted in other major U.S. cities—including New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Austin—on Friday. Events are expected to culminate on Saturday in “No Kings” demonstrations at roughly 2,000 locations nationwide, opposing what participants describe as an authoritarian drift under Trump’s immigration policies.

The protests will coincide with Trump’s planned military parade in Washington, D.C.—an event celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary—and his 79th birthday. Critics argue the parade prioritizes the former president’s image over national unity, while organizers of the “No Kings” movement clarify that their demonstrations deliberately exclude the capital to oppose displays of military might.

Federal courts have intervened in the deployment. A U.S. district judge blocked the use of federal troops for civilian law enforcement in Los Angeles on Thursday, citing that the move circumvented Congress’s authority. The administration has appealed, and the ruling remains stayed pending a Tuesday hearing. Judge Charles Breyer’s ruling suggested Trump bypassed statutory procedures.

Governor Newsom sharply criticized Trump’s actions, labeling his communications about troop deployment as dishonest. Many Democrats and civil liberties groups view the military deployment as a direct threat to constitutional free speech protections.

This deployment follows Trump’s earlier, unrealized threats to send active-duty troops during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. The former president has since asserted that Los Angeles would have been “obliterated” without federal intervention, though no supporting evidence has been presented.

Some Guard members and their families have voiced unease. Sarah Streyder of Secure Families Initiative commented, “Deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for.” Others have reported low morale.

As of Friday, arrests continue sporadically. A notable incident involved Senator Alex Padilla (D–CA), who was briefly detained—and later released—while questioning Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a Los Angeles press conference. Padilla’s influence has sparked debate across party lines regarding the propriety of military involvement in domestic affairs and the treatment of protesters.

President Trump has defended the deployment, asserting that federal intervention was necessary to prevent destruction in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, thousands nationwide prepare to express their dissent as the situation continues to unfold.