Is the United States heading toward a constitutional crisis? That’s the question many are asking after recent moves by the Trump administration to deploy military forces to California in response to mounting protests over what demonstrators call arbitrary immigration arrests.
Following the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops, the federal government is now preparing to send an additional 700 U.S. Marines to Chicago, according to Reuters, citing a senior U.S. official.
This move comes amid escalating tensions, underscored by the arrival of 300 California National Guard troops on Sunday.
Their presence is intended to reinforce security measures in response to the growing scale of the protests. California Governor Gavin Newsom has fiercely denounced the deployment, calling it “illegal.”
According to the official — who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter — the Marines are being deployed as a supplementary force. There are currently no plans to invoke the Insurrection Act, a federal law that allows the military to engage in domestic law enforcement. However, the situation is being described as “fluid” and subject to rapid change, Reuters reported.
The number of National Guard troops on the ground is expected to rise to 2,000 by Wednesday, according to the same source. In the meantime, the Marines are expected to play a logistical support role, though their exact assignments have not yet been disclosed.
While U.S. law prohibits active-duty military from carrying out policing tasks without formal activation of the Insurrection Act, the Department of Defense is frequently called upon to assist in national emergencies. Whether in response to public health crises, natural disasters, or border security challenges, the military has traditionally provided essential support to civilian authorities — but only with local approval. That appears to be changing, as local officials are being sidelined by the Trump administration.
The decision to deploy Marines to a major U.S. city raises serious questions about the escalation of federal force and the methods being used to suppress popular dissent.
President Trump has stated he would have “no issue” with California Governor Gavin Newsom being arrested by border enforcement chief Tom Homan — a threat that seems unlikely to intimidate Newsom, who appears more determined than ever to confront Trump’s inner circle head-on.
