The deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles in response to ongoing immigration enforcement protests is projected to cost approximately $134 million, according to a statement from a Pentagon official on Tuesday.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell provided this estimate during a House subcommittee hearing, highlighting that the costs stem primarily from housing, travel, and meal expenses for the deployed personnel.
MacDonnell’s remarks came while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was also testifying at the hearing. She noted that the current deployment includes around 4,000 members of the California National Guard alongside 700 Marines, funded through the military’s Operation & Maintenance accounts.
Hegseth defended the necessity of troop deployment, stating it is intended to last for 60 days. He emphasized the importance of community safety, asserting that “Every American citizen deserves to live in a community that’s safe, and ICE agents need to be able to do their job,” referring to the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
