Around 700 US Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines have been placed on alert to assist National Guard troops responding to protests in Los Angeles, the US Northern Command stated Monday.

The Marines, based in Twentynine Palms, are not authorized to carry out law enforcement unless President Donald Trump invokes the Insurrection Act. Their activation comes after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard members over the weekend to protect federal property during protests against immigration raids, Associated Press reported.

California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the move, calling it “un-American” and “unwarranted,” while his office stated the Marines were only being repositioned between bases, not deployed.

About 300 National Guard troops arrived downtown Sunday as over 1,000 protesters clashed with authorities, according to Associated Press.