The Trump administration has activated another 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles, doubling down on federalizing the U.S. military amid anti-ICE protests.

Secretary Hegseth ordered the activation of troops from the 49th Military Police Brigade under Title 10, which permits the president to federalize the National Guard during times of invasion or rebellion, to protect federal functions, personnel, and property in the L.A. area, according to U.S. Northern Command. The Northern California-based Brigade will be added to Task Force 51, bringing its numbers at the City of Angels to 4,100 National Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines.

“As with other units identified to support this mission, the brigade will not directly participate in civilian law enforcement activities,” U.S. Northern Command said in a statement. “The activation of the 49th is intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency.”

“The soldiers are completing training on de-escalation, crowd control, and use of the standing rules for the use of force in advance of joining the federal protection mission.”

The new order came just hours after a three-judge panel heard arguments over returning command of the National Guard troops to the state of California, according to a report from NBC4 Los Angeles. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hearing focused on an order from a district court last week to return control of the National Guard to Governor Newsom.

Judge Charles Breyer said President Trump had exceeded his authority by illegally issuing the deployment, but the appellate panel temporarily paused the order.

Mr. Newsom’s office quickly condemned the latest order, adding that the 2,000 new troops were a part of the original June 9 order.

“This is clean up from the Pentagon. This isn’t a new deployment — it’s the same group of soldiers who have been diverted from critical wildfire work and work at the border, now twiddling their thumbs for Donald Trump’s political theater,” a statement from Mr. Newsom’s office reads. “This is the deployment of the second set of 2,000 federalized Guard soldiers under the June 9 order.”

“The description of what they are and aren’t going to be doing is meant to be consistent with their legal position rather than the immigration enforcement support we’ve seen them doing in Los Angeles.”