About 700 Marines have arrived at a gathering area in Seal Beach, about 50km south of Los Angeles, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a US official said.
Marines and soldiers do not have the authority to detain them but will protect the federal property and personnel, according to military officials.
US Marines are trained to respond to conflicts around the world and are used for quick deployment in emergency situations, such as threats to US embassies. Some units also learn techniques to control riots and crowds.
President Donald Trump has also mobilized 4,000 National Guard soldiers to Los Angeles amid protests in the city. There were about 2,100 Coast Guard soldiers in Los Angeles on June 10 and more soldiers will arrive.
Los Angeles has gone through five days of public protests since the Trump administration launched a series of immigration raids on June 6, with police continuing to suppress protests in central Los Angeles on June 10. On the evening of June 10, local time, Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew in central Los Angeles from 8:00 p.m. on June 10 to 6:00 a.m. on June 11.
The US Department of Homeland Security said on June 9 that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department has arrested 2,000 illegal immigrants per day recently, much higher than the average of 311 immigrants per day in fiscal year 2024 under President Joe Biden.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and the state sued Trump and the US Department of Defense on June 9 to prevent the deployment of the federal military.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state was concerned about allowing the federal military to protect its personnel, noting that the move was in violation of the 1878 law, which banned the US military, including the National Guard, from participating in civil law enforcement.
