US citizens reject military deployment against LA protesters: surveys

US citizens overwhelmingly oppose the deployment of military forces and National Guard troops against protesters in Los Angeles, according to multiple surveys conducted during the ongoing demonstrations against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations.

A YouGov poll released Tuesday found that 47 percent of US adults disapprove of deploying Marines to Los Angeles, with only 34 percent in approval. Opposition to the deployment of the US National Guard remains strong, with 45 percent disapproving compared to 38 percent who approve.

The resistance to military intervention is a traditional concept in the country. A CNN/SSRS poll conducted in June 2020 revealed that 60 percent of US citizens believe it would be "inappropriate" for the president to deploy the US military in response to protests, representing a substantial 24-point margin of opposition.

Seventy percent of US citizens oppose using the US military to stop protesters, according to a March 2025 survey reported Tuesday by the United States Democracy Center, a rule-of-law advocacy group. The opposition spanned party lines as well, with majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents all against military intervention.

The YouGov's polling data emerged as Los Angeles has experienced widespread demonstrations following federal immigration raids that began on June 7. While federal immigration enforcement received some public support nationally, this backing does not translate into approval for militarized responses to protesters.

US citizens demonstrated a clear preference for local control over federal intervention in the survey. When asked about protest response leadership, 56 percent believed state and local authorities should handle the situation, while only 25 percent supported federal intervention.

The current situation revealed nuanced public opinion. Only about one-third of US citizens, 36 percent, approve of the protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with 45 percent disapproving, according to YouGov. However, Americans distinguish between disapproving of protests and supporting militarized responses to them.

Californian voters showed strong resistance to federal immigration enforcement.

An Emerson College poll conducted this April found that 60 percent of California's voters consider mass deportations of undocumented immigrants bad for the state. Additionally, 63 percent of Californian adults favor state and local governments making their immigration policies rather than following federal mandates, according to the Public Policy Institute of California's survey this January.