US Marines detain Army veteran outside federal building in Westwood

Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times on Jun 13, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — Despite local officials repeatedly stating U.S. Marines “do not have arrest power,” troops outside a Los Angeles federal building temporarily detained an U.S. Army veteran on Friday.

The U.S. military’s Northern Command confirmed that troops stationed at the Wilshire Federal Building, near the intersection of Wilshire and Sepulveda boulevards in Westwood, detained a man who later identified himself as a U.S. Army veteran.

Officials first corroborated the incident to Reuters after the news organization showed the military images taken by a Reuters staff photographer of troops detaining a man.

The images showed Marine troops apprehending a man by restraining his hands behind his back with zip ties, as well as the man being handed over to Department of Homeland Security officials.

Marcos Leao, 27, was trying to access the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs office within the federal building when Marine troops stopped him for bypassing their checkpoint and the yellow tape between them.

The troops asked him to go back and then told him to get down on the ground.

Leao said troops believed he wasn’t following orders, which is what led him being detained. When asked how he felt about the treatment he received, Leao said it was just a procedure.

Leao said it’s a difficult time and that “we’re (in a) situation where people are becoming more aggressive with what’s going on.”

“But as long as you feel like you’ve complied in everything,” he said, “it worked pretty natural ... and now I’m free to come back home.”

U.S. Northern Command told the Los Angeles Times in a statement that “Title 10 forces may temporarily detain an individual in specific circumstances.”

“The temporary detention ends immediately when the individual(s) can be safely transferred to the custody of appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel,” the statement continued.

About 200 Marines are currently in Los Angeles, Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said at a news briefing Friday afternoon.

Sherman is in command of 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops that were deployed by the Trump administration amid protests over immigration enforcement raids in and around Los Angeles.

Earlier this week, Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot told The Times that the Marines in Los Angeles were limited in their authority and were deployed only to defend federal property and federal personnel. They do not have arrest power, Guillot said.