A battalion of U.S. Marines is reportedly deploying to Los Angeles, where they will join Army National Guard troops already on the ground to protect federal buildings and personnel.

The Marines are coming from the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, about 140 miles east of Los Angeles.

Their deployment, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, would amount to a dramatic escalation of the weekend riots protesting immigration raids in the city.

They are expected to arrive within the next 24 hours, according to media reports.

Over the weekend, U.S. Northern Command confirmed that about 500 troops from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at Twentynine Palms were in a “prepared to deploy” status should they be needed to augment the Army National Guard troops at the scene.

A Northern Command spokesman said Monday that the Marines were still in the “prepared to deploy” status.

President Trump federalized the California Army National Guard in response to the protests, over the objection of Gov. Gavin Newsom who said it was both unnecessary and an illegal usurpation of state powers.

On Sunday, National Guard soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team began arriving in Los Angeles.

The Marines and the National Guard troops are prohibited from carrying out law enforcement activity, including making arrests, unless Mr. Trump invokes the Insurrection Act. It empowers a U.S. president to deploy military forces domestically to suppress a rebellion, enforce federal law, or restore order in situations where the usual legal restrictions have become impractical.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.