Some of the California National Guard troops deployed by President Trump to Los Angeles last month will be released from the deployment to fight wildfires as the state prepares for another fire season.
In a statement released Tuesday, U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) said that approximately 150 Guardsmen were released from their federal mission protecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Los Angeles, known as Task Force 51.
Northcom head Gen. Gregory Guillot sent the release request to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth but reportedly had asked for closer to 200 Guard members to be allowed to return to their local commands. The troops can now aid Joint Task Force Rattlesnake, the California National Guard’s wildfire-fighting unit.
The command stressed that Task Force 51 is “still appropriately sourced” to conduct its mission.
The Trump administration last month suddenly deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and roughly 700 Marines to Los Angeles after a rise in protests over ICE’s stepped up immigration crackdown.
California state officials in a lawsuit against the Trump administration argued that the Guard’s sudden deployment was unlawful and put residents in possible danger as they pulled troops away from crucial wildfire fighting duties.
“This deployment comes when California is in the midst of peak wildfire season for both Northern and Southern California and may need to rely on their crucial support, as the state did during the Los Angeles fires earlier this year,” the lawsuit states. “When the state faces simultaneous emergencies, the National Guard's resources can be stretched thin.”
The public attention has since turned away from Los Angeles protests, which have diminished in size and impact, throwing the Guard troops’ presence in the city into question.
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