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.
