Press Conference on
California National Guard and U.S. Marine Military Deployment in Los Angeles
delivered 11 June
2025, Joint Forces Training Base, Los Alamitos, California
[FIRST PASS COMPLETED -- CHECK
AGAINST DELIVERY]
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: All right, I'll just start out. Hey, good morning ladies and
gentlemen. I'm
Major General Scott Sherman. I'm Deputy Commanding General at
Army North, and in that capacity I am the commander of our
Forward Contingency
Command Post which we call, the Army calls, Task Force 51. I am here on the
ground leading this effort for
Army North and
USNORTHCOM, and really
organizing operations here, the mobilization of the soldiers, the Colorado -- I'm
sorry the
California National Guard soldiers, and the 700 Marines; and
organizing, planning the operations here as we support federal agencies in -- in
particular the
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Any questions?
QUESTION: Ready for questions.
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: And then -- that was my first question is, what exactly are the orders? I know
that the National Guard so far has been protecting one of the federal buildings
in downtown, one of the federal buildings in Westwood, but there's still a bunch
of soldiers who are here. So, what really will the job be now that the guard is
federalized, and now that the Marines are here -- headed here too? That's another
question I has.
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yeah, they're
heading close to here, not here on this location, that is correct. 700 Marines.
So, with our orders,
directed by the President, the Secretary of Defense has mobilized -- right now
it's 4,700 personnel. So, 4,000 from the California National Guard. 700 Marines.
And our mission is to protect federal agencies, our federal partners, their
personnel, as they conduct their federal missions; and even more in -- in
particular as they do -- they do the enforcement of federal law; and then also
to protect all federal assets and federal facilities that are located in the
locations where there have been demonstrations lately.
QUESTION: It's been said that the mission is to protect the federal buildings
and the federal personnel. Will the national guard [unclear] be protecting ICE on raids?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yes, they would be doing
cordon on that for -- and that's
strictly for the protection of the personnel as they do their job, their federal
job.
QUESTION: Can you specify how many of the troops have been used so far on those
ICE operations? And do you have any concerns about National Guard troops being
pulled into, kind of, regular law enforcement?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: No. So, I'll answer that in -- in two parts. First, I don't
have the numbers that are on the ICE -- done the actual ICE operations. We have
a thousand that have done operations so far. That is both the protection of the
installations, or the federal buildings, and then also protection of federal law
enforcement as they conduct their mission. On Title 10, on federal orders, these
soldiers do not conduct law enforcement operations that -- like arrests or
search and seizure. They are strictly used for the protection of the federal
personnel as they conduct their operations and to protect them to allow them to
do their federal mission.
QUESTION: And to follow up on that, in -- in the case of recent ICE raids where we've
had protesters show up to those in downtown, we have seen the vandalism of the
federal buildings. I was reading up on Task Force 51, and I know that you're
specially trained with de-escalation, crowd control, rules of use of force. At
what point do these soldiers engage? What would that engaging look like,
whether...?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yeah, sure. So, strictly for the protection of the federal
personnel and the protection of the federal building, they're allowed to
temporarily detain and wait for law enforcement to come and arrest them. They do
not do any arrests. They are strictly there to detain, to wait for law
enforcement to come and -- and handle those demonstrators.
QUESTION: Can you tell us what the difference -- like, what the difference is
between the Marines and what the National Guard will be doing?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: They will be doing the same operations.
QUESTION: When they go on these raids are the troops armed with ammo in their
weapons or only on their persons?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Only on their person.
QUESTION: Major -- and excuse the question -- but we were interviewing people on
the street and somebody, you know, asked, "The Marines are coming -- what do you
think of that?" And a person on the street said, "Aren't the Marines at sea?
Aren't they specialized
in, you know, sea worthy operations? Why not the Army? Why Marines?"
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Actually, all -- all federal military personnel, it is part
of their mission. So, in this case it was what was closest and what -- what
could be used at the time.
QUESTION: Can you give us a little more
detail about -- you said there's 4,700, how many are already here? Have you
identified these additional National Guard troops? I think there was 2,000, and
when are they arriving? And when and where --
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- are the Marines going?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Okay. So, there are 2,000 on duty right now that are actually
ready [to] perform operations and performing operations. There are additional
2,000 that are mobilizing right now. They're "mustering" is the -- is the term,
and preparing. They'll be ready tomorrow at approximately 1500 [3:00pm] to be ready to
come and start their training to get their personnel in because they are
National Guard. They are [a] reserve component. And then the Marines are here at
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.
QUESTION: When will we expect to see Marines on the streets in Los Angeles?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: I can't give you exactly when that will be -- but soon.
They're doing they're -- Their they're doing their training right now. It is not -- We
-- We train for a federal mission for war fight, so they're right now going
through civil disturbance training and the standing rules of force training.
QUESTION: Can you tell us about the rules of engagement?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Well, so, really for rules of engagement we are strictly here
to protect federal facilities and to protect federal agencies and their
personnel and allow them to do their job. We are strictly there to help them do
their job and to protect them.
QUESTION: What happens if there's a use of force or a shooting? Who would
exactly is that?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: That will be law enforcement.
QUESTION: I know you can't say when the Marines will be on the street. Is it
safe to say they won't be on the streets today?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: They will not be on the streets today.
QUESTION: At what point does the military
aid stop? When the protests slow or when ICE feels satisfied with their raids?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: It's strictly to the officer or to the -- to the agent in
charge when they're doing the operations. They do that. So, we have worked out
coordination with them. We meet. We do rehearsals. We make -- totally
understand their operation, conduct the operation, and then we leave.
QUESTION: Is there a plan in place to call in even more because originally it
started with the first 2,000 National Guard. Now you're -- there's 2,000 more coming.
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Ma'am, I do not know.
QUESTION: A question on -- and I think it's follow-up from Carly's [ph]
question. So, right now is there a date where for sure Task Force 51 will still
be enacted til, or is it a day-by-day situation?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: It's a day-by-day sit -- situation. We've been ordered to
temporarily protect both buildings and federal personnel.
QUESTION: And there is a suit by the state of California that I'm sure you're
aware of where the attorney general is saying the Marines should only be
deployed under this law from the 1800s that says, you know, only civilian police
can police civilians. So, he's trying to get the Marines out. Your response to
that?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: That is -- That is -- They're working it. It's beyond my
scope. I'm here to run operations. They are currently been [sic] ordered to come
and...support this operation. So, that's what I'm doing right now.
QUESTION: And where are the 700 Marines from? I know mainly the guard members
are, like, 95% from California. Where did these Marines come from? Is it the Twentynine Palms
base?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: They did. They come from Twentynine Palms.
QUESTION: Can you specify where exactly
[unclear]? Is is just the city of Los Angeles and how far is the range --?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Currently, just the city of
Los Angeles?
QUESTION: How many hours of training do they
get for civil unrest?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Civil unrest -- it's
actually goes -- it's pretty much a two-day set training, so it's -- it's very
extensive. It is all about civil disturbance -- how to -- and really how to
control crowds and protection of facilities.
QUESTION: And you said the Marines
will only be used in the city of Los Angeles?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: I do not know that. It's just depending on
where the federal agencies will need to have them be used.
QUESTION: Okay, so we could see them in
other places?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Yes.
QUESTION: Do you foresee -- I mean can you
give us some sense -- It sounds like they're protecting federal property.
They're also protecting federal officers. They're doing immigration enforcement.
How many of the [inaudible] will be used for one versus the other. Like, how
much of the -- of this operation is [devoted?] for one task versus the other?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: It depends
on the operations. The -- The operations depend on the day and what they're
doing. We're prepared to provide up to -- right now, currently we can provide up
to 2,000 soldiers to do the missions that they need.
QUESTION: With this training, that's
two days long. Local law enforcement goes through multiple months of training
for things like this. Can you talk about how prepared troops on both sides are
going to be should they are needed [sic] to step in?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: Well, we go
through extensive training to do this. They are -- They are trained to use their
weapons, to actually have their weapons to do their personal protection. They're
doing that, but this -- this is crowd control. This is stuff that we do not do
usually. And this is working with federal law enforcement, and really working --
they're -- they're in the lead; we're supporting them. And it's really about
protecting federal facilities and federal personnel as they do their job.
QUESTION: And in your career -- in your
career, have you ever had National Guard members, had members of our own
military, responding to civil unrest on American soil, or -- or is this a first
for you and your [colleagues?].
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN: It is not. I am a
-- I am a -- a guardsman on active duty. I have done this in -- in other riot
situations, not in Title 10 but in Title 32 status.
Yes?
STAFF: Last
question. Last question.
QUESTION: Yes, I just wanted to ask about
the -- the ammunition about the Marines. [inaudible] ammunition [inaudible]?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN:
Not in their rifle, no.
STAFF: Okay, thanks very much.
QUESTION: Really, can you just explain to us
really quick what the equipment is we're looking at? We have tents. We have
large trucks. But -- But the verbiage...?
STAFF: We do that one and then that is
it.
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN:
Yeah. These are just strictly military planning tents. And they're also where
soldiers are being housed right now. And we have military vehicles, here, yeah.
Thanks.
QUESTION: Are they for this particular
operation, these particular tents and soldiers?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN:
They are. They are.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Does the operation have a name on
your side?
MAJ. GEN SHERMAN:
[off-mic] No. No.
Audio Source: YouTube
Audio Note: Digitally enhanced for clearer Q&A reception
