Fact check: Can the national guard arrest anyone at a protest in LA?

1. Summary of the results

The National Guard cannot arbitrarily arrest anyone at protests in LA. Their powers are specifically limited to:

• Protecting federal property and personnel, particularly around facilities like the Metropolitan Detention Centre ^[1]
• Defending ICE agents and federal facilities from interference ^[2]
• Operating at three specific locations in the Los Angeles area with approximately 300 troops ^[3]

Legal experts confirm that the National Guard cannot engage in general policing or aid local law enforcement beyond what ICE agents themselves could do ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual elements are missing from the original question:

• This is a federalized deployment, meaning Trump bypassed California Governor Gavin Newsom's authority ^[5]
• The deployment is authorized for at least 60 days, with the possibility of regular federal troops augmenting their work ^[2]
• Governor Newsom has explicitly stated that the soldiers are unnecessary and could "escalate tensions" ^[5]
• The troops are under federal control, not state control, which significantly limits their arrest powers ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question implies a broader power than actually exists, potentially leading to misconceptions about:

• The scope of National Guard authority: They are not general law enforcement but are restricted to protecting specific federal assets and personnel ^[1]
• The nature of the deployment: While Trump's administration views protests impeding immigration law enforcement as a "form of rebellion" ^[5], the actual mandate is defensive and protective, not offensive or arrest-oriented ^[1]

This situation benefits different groups in different ways:

• The federal government gains direct control over security at immigration facilities
• State authorities lose control over their National Guard units
• Protesters face increased uncertainty about law enforcement jurisdiction and authority