Military Confirms First Known Detention by Active-Duty Troops Deployed by Trump
U.S. Marines temporarily detained a civilian near the Wilshire Federal Building on Friday, marking the first known instance of active-duty troops participating in a detention during their recent deployment to Los Angeles, as reported by CBS News.
The incident occurred as approximately 200 Marines began guarding the federal complex in Westwood, following President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to deploy troops in response to widespread protests over immigration enforcement operations. Photographs obtained by Reuters show Marines restraining a man with zip ties before transferring him to agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
Military officials later confirmed the incident, stating that active-duty troops are authorized to detain individuals under limited circumstances but must immediately hand them over to civilian law enforcement.
The civilian, identified as Marcos Leao, 27, told reporters he was a U.S. Army veteran en route to a Department of Veterans Affairs office when he crossed a police barrier and was mistakenly detained. Leao, who became a U.S. citizen through military service, said he was treated “very fairly” and released shortly after.
Leao said, as quoted by Military.com, “I had my headphones in, so I didn’t hear them. They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.” He was held for over two hours after attempting to go to an appointment at the Veterans Affairs office.
The deployment of federal forces in Los Angeles has drawn sharp criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who labeled the move “authoritarian” and filed a legal challenge to block it. Although a federal judge initially ruled in favor of the state on Thursday, an appeals court later paused that order. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear the case on June 17. In the meantime, troops are authorized to remain in the city.
Trump ordered more than 2,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines into Los Angeles last weekend amid unrest tied to immigration raids. Military officials said the primary mission is to protect federal property and personnel, not to engage directly in law enforcement. Nonetheless, the presence of armed troops in riot gear—including shields, batons, and gas masks—has sparked unease among city officials.
During a Friday news briefing, Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman said the Marines arrived in L.A. on Thursday night and officially began operations Friday at noon. He reiterated that their mandate is restricted to federal sites, such as the Wilshire Federal Building.
Mayor Karen Bass denounced both the ICE raids and the federal troop presence in the city. “Los Angeles does not need armed military on its streets,” she said in a statement.
ICE activity has surged nationwide in recent days. Internal data obtained by CBS News show that 1,400 and 1,600 immigration arrests were carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, with over 56,000 individuals now held in ICE detention centers—a record for the agency. While arrests have more than doubled since Trump’s first 100 days in office, they still fall short of the daily 3,000 target reportedly set by the White House.
Officials have not confirmed whether Trump will invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow federal troops to carry out law enforcement duties directly. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, the military is generally barred from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities without such an invocation.
