The 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops ordered to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump in response to protests over immigration enforcement operations lack the authority to arrest protesters but may temporarily detain them if necessary, an Army general said on Wednesday.
“Strictly for the protection of the federal personnel and the protection of the federal buildings, they’re allowed to temporarily detain and wait for law enforcement to come and arrest them,” Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said of the troops.
“They do not do any arrest, they are strictly there to detain and wait for law enforcement to come and handle those demonstrators.”…