UPDATE - US troops in Los Angeles meant to protect immigration enforcement agents: Pentagon chief

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By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The deployment of National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, California is meant to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating there, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday.

"In Los Angeles, we believe that ICE, which is a federal law enforcement agency, has the right to safely conduct operations in any state and any jurisdiction in the country," Hegseth said in testimony to the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee along with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine.

His remarks came when Rep. Betty McCollum asked Hegseth about the cost of deploying National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles.

"You asked about the situation in Los Angeles ... We believe ICE agents should be allowed to be safe in doing their operations, and we have deployed National Guard and the Marines to protect them in the execution of their duties," Hegseth said.

McCollum cut in to redirect Hegseth back to her initial question, growing increasingly exasperated as he continued to evade a direct response.

The representative said she would yield back her time if Hegseth refused to answer the budgetary questions.

She asked: "What is the current cost for what is taking place in California, and how is it going to affect this budget or the budget we're currently serving under? How much are these deployments going to cost for both the Marines and the National Guard, and what training or duties are not taking place because of these deployments?"

In her opening remarks, McCollum criticized President Donald Trump's deployment decision, saying it was "premature."

McCollum said there's "no need" for the Marines to be deployed. "This is a deeply unfair position to put our Marines in," she said, adding active duty military has "absolutely no role" in domestic law enforcement, and they are not trained for those missions.

Trump mobilized 4,000 National Guard to assist 700 Marines in response to the protests against his immigration policies in Los Angeles.

The protests began on Friday after ICE agents raided local businesses and detained hundreds of people suspected of living in the US illegally.

Trump claimed Tuesday that Los Angeles "would be burning to the ground" if he did not send US troops into America's second largest city.

"If I didn’t 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor," Trump claimed on Truth Social, alluding to mass devastation wrought across Los Angeles by wildfires in January.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday slammed Trump's decision, saying it is not about public safety.

"It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego. This is Reckless. Pointless. And Disrespectful to our troops," he said on X.

Newsom said Trump is "trying to provoke chaos" by sending 4,000 soldiers onto American soil.

Earlier, he announced a lawsuit against Trump, saying the president's National Guard deployment was illegal and violated state sovereignty.

Critics of Trump's immigration raids say ICE is going after law-abiding undocumented migrants, a vital part of the community and the local economy, rather than the criminals that Trump pledged to deport while campaigning last year to return to the White House.

- Troop deployment to Los Angeles to cost $134 million

Rep. Pete Aguilar expressed his "severe concern" with the deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles without consultation of the state of California.

Aguilar asked about the pictures that troops have been sleeping on the ground in Los Angeles, and unpreparedness to provide them basic necessities, such as such as food.

"How long will this last?" he said.

Hegseth replied the troops have "very well" prepared.

"They responded incredibly rapidly deteriorating situation with equipment and capabilities, we have made sure from the town. ... there are moments where you may do as best you can temporarily, but we are ensuring they're housed," he said.

Hegseth said the deployment will be for 60 days "because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we're not going anywhere."

Asked what is the cost of the deployment and where's the funding coming from, Bryn MacDonnell, who is performing the duties of Comptroller at the Pentagon, told the lawmakers that the estimated to cost about $134 million.

"The current estimated cost is $134 million which is largely just TDY (Temporary Duty) cost, travel, housing, food, etc," she said.