CA's Anti-Illegal Immigration Protests Will Eat Up Well Over $100 Million From Taxpayers, Pentagon Says

In the wake of violent anti-ICE protests erupting in Los Angeles, the Pentagon has revealed that the cost to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to the city will reach a staggering $134 million, hitting U.S. taxpayers hard, according to the Post Millenial.

During a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing, a Pentagon official confirmed the deployment will last 60 days. Bryn MacDonnel explained that the money will come from the Department of Defense’s operations and maintenance budget, covering travel, housing, food, and other needs for the deployed forces.

California’s leadership, however, seemed more concerned about the optics than the chaos that sparked the need for the deployment. Rep. Pete Aguilar questioned why the deployment happened “without consultation of the state of California,” claiming that troops were seen “sleeping on the floor” and not given enough food or water by the Department of Defense.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth quickly pushed back, calling Aguilar’s comments a “disingenuous attack.” Hegseth said, “The commanders and troops on the field are very well prepared, sir,” and that his office was actively ensuring they had what they needed, including housing and water. Hegseth made it clear that he supports the men and women protecting law enforcement in Los Angeles, especially while Governor Gavin Newsom sits on the sidelines.

When pressed about how long the deployment would last, Hegseth didn’t mince words. “We stated very publicly that it’s 60 days because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters, and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere,” he said. “We’re here to maintain the peace on behalf of law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won’t do.”

Aguilar also tried to suggest that the money for the deployment would come at the expense of quality-of-life programs for service members and their families. Hegseth dismissed that idea outright before handing the question back to MacDonnel, who confirmed that funding for this mission does not pull money away from housing or barracks for service members.

As the situation continues to unfold, taxpayers across the nation are left paying the bill for California’s failure to maintain order. While Newsom and other Democrats focus on policies that benefit illegal immigrants and downplay violent protests while decriminalizing welfare fraud and other crimes, the Pentagon is forced to step in and protect law enforcement and innocent Californians.