On June 13, Marcos Leao, a 27-year-old Army veteran and U.S. citizen, was walking to a VA office near the Wilshire Federal Building.
NEW: United States Marines carry out the first known detention of a civilian in Los Angeles, California.
The Marines were seen detaining a man at the Wilshire Federal Building in LA.
The man who was detained was later identified as Marcos Leao, an army veteran.
Leao said he… pic.twitter.com/37xWObXAfF
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 14, 2025
As he moved toward the entrance, he crossed a yellow-tape boundary.
A group of U.S. Marines stationed there stopped him, zip-tied his hands, and held him briefly until Homeland Security officers arrived. He was released soon after, without charges.
Leao later said the Marines treated him well. “They were just doing their job,” he told reporters.
The moment was brief, but has drawn national attention.
Why Were Marines There?
Thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines were sent to Los Angeles earlier this month.
The federal government said the move was to protect buildings and personnel after protests broke out over immigration enforcement.
That’s not something we see every day.
When U.S. troops are deployed inside our cities, it usually means something serious is happening.
In this case, Marines were guarding a federal building. But their presence—especially when they detain civilians—has raised concerns.
What Does the Law Say?
There’s a law called the Posse Comitatus Act. It’s been around since 1878.
It says the federal military, like the Army and Marines, can’t be used for regular law enforcement inside the U.S. unless a special exception is made.
Usually, those exceptions are rare.
One big one is the Insurrection Act, which lets the President use the military during extreme unrest.
In this case, that law wasn’t used. The Marines were deployed under a different legal authority aimed at protecting federal property.
So, while the Marines may have been allowed to guard the building, it’s not clear if they were allowed to detain someone, let alone a civilian just walking to a VA appointment.
What Makes This Different?
This appears to be the first known case of a Marine detaining a civilian in Los Angeles without the Insurrection Act being in effect.
That alone has legal experts paying attention.
Some say the Marines followed the rules: they stopped someone crossing into a secure area and quickly handed him over to civilian authorities.
Others say it’s a warning sign; one that could blur the line between military and police work.
What Happens Now?
California has challenged the federal deployment in court.
A case is moving through the Ninth Circuit that could decide if the federal government had the right to send troops into Los Angeles without state approval.
If the court sides with California, the troops might have to leave.
If not, the federal government could gain more freedom to use military forces in future domestic situations.
Either way, this isn’t just about one veteran and one moment.
It’s about how we balance public safety with constitutional rights. It’s about when, how, and why the military gets involved on U.S. soil.
One Veteran’s Calm Response
Leao’s response has stood out.
As a veteran, he’s lived through high-pressure situations before.
He didn’t panic. He didn’t accuse. He simply said the Marines were doing their job.
That perspective doesn’t end the legal questions, but it does remind us that behind every headline are real people doing their best to navigate a complicated situation.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
