WASHINGTON – Defense officials said the Pentagon is spending $134 million to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to respond to protests against federal immigration enforcement in Los Angeles.
Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the secretary of Defense, said the cost for the 60-day deployment for travel, housing and food is coming out of operations and maintenance accounts.
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“What’s the justification for using the military for civilian law enforcement purposes in LA?” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, asked at a House Appropriations subcommittee on the Defense Department’s budget. “Why are you sending warfighters to cities to interact with civilians?”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump “believes in law and order.”
