The Trump administration has taken the unprecedented step of deploying US Marines to Los Angeles and escalating raids on suspected undocumented immigrants, sparking backlash from protesters and Democratic leaders concerned about the situation.

About 700 Marines from Southern California are expected to arrive in Los Angeles as part of a federal strategy to address street demonstrations opposing the immigration raids, a key initiative of President Donald Trump's second term.

While their mission is temporary, aimed at protecting federal personnel and property until a full contingent of 4,000 National Guard troops can arrive in Los Angeles, the deployment marks a significant use of military force in support of a police operation, despite objections from state and local leaders who did not request assistance.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has vowed to conduct more operations to apprehend suspected immigration violators, extending a crackdown that has triggered protests. Trump administration officials have criticized the protests as lawless and blamed state and local Democrats for allowing unrest and protecting undocumented immigrants through sanctuary cities.

These military and federal enforcement actions have deepened the divide between America's two major political parties, with Trump threatening to arrest California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, for resisting the federal crackdown.

California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to block the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines, arguing that it violates federal law and state sovereignty.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed grave concerns over Trump's deployment of active-duty Marines, calling it an unprecedented move that could escalate the situation into a national crisis.

The decision to deploy Marines came on the fourth consecutive day of protests, with police dispersing demonstrators outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles. National Guard forces formed a barricade to prevent people from entering the building, and police used tactics such as firing gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

While the use of military forces in domestic situations is rare, Trump has the authority to deploy Marines under certain conditions of law or as commander in chief without invoking the Insurrection Act.

The protests, which have led to several dozen arrests and some property damage, have spread to other US cities, including New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. In Austin, Texas, police clashed with protesters, firing nonlethal munitions and detaining several individuals.

Homeland Security reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been arresting 2,000 immigration offenders per day, a significant increase from the daily average of 311 during the previous fiscal year.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the crackdown, emphasizing that the city is a city of immigrants. However, Noem countered by stating that they are a city of criminals.