Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said 500 National Guard members have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations.

The National Guard in Los Angeles has detained anti-ICE protesters while providing security for immigration operations, with officials expecting protests to escalate.

National Guard troops already have temporarily detained civilians in the Los Angeles protests over immigration raids.

The peaceful protest began shortly after 6 p.m. and soon tripled in size as people congregated in front of a road closure, occupied by at least six members of the California National Guard on

About 500 of the National Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles protests have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations, the commander in charge said Wednesday.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell sharply countered President Donald Trump’s claims that the city was at a point of needing National Guard support, emphasizing Wednesday that protests were “nowhere near” that level.

Thousands of troops and hundreds of US Marines have been deployed to the city by US President Donald Trump to quell the demonstrations. Nearly 400 people have so far been arrested, including 330 undocumented migrants and 157 people arrested for assault and obstruction, including one for the attempted murder of a police officer.

The National Guard has at times detained protesters in its deployment to Los Angeles, an official said Wednesday, as demonstrations against Immigration and Customs enforcement raids spread to other major cities.

Army veteran and former Secretary of State Chuck Hagel talks about the potential risks about having military troops deployed in L.A.