A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles on Wednesday and ordered control of the troops returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The Trump administration has indicated it will appeal the latest decision, part of a slew of litigation over the deployments nationally.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco likened the government’s deployment of California Guard members to other cities to “a national police force made
up of state troops.”
Despite objections from local and state officials, the federal government deployed thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles in June to address protests that broke out in reaction to immigration raids across the city. The state sued immediately, beginning a lengthy litigation process to determine control over the troops and the limits of the federal government.
“Today’s ruling is abundantly clear – the federalization of the National Guard in California is illegal and must end,” Newsom said in a statement. “The president deployed these brave men and women against their own communities, removing them from essential public safety operations. We look forward to all National Guard service members being returned to state service.”
Only about 100 Guard troops remain on duty in the L.A. area, according to court filings.
Breyer had ruled in September that the Trump administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act, the federal law that generally prohibits the U.S. military from acting as domestic law enforcement. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Trump administration.
Wednesday’s ruling came in response to California’s latest injunction request, in which the state argued such a federal presence was no longer needed.
“President Trump exercised his lawful authority to deploy National Guard troops to support federal officers and assets following violent riots,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told MS NOW, adding that the administration looked forward to “ultimate victory on the issue.”
District judges and appeals courts around the country have issued various rulings about the legality of the Guard deployments in cities including Washington, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently weighing arguments on the Illinois deployment.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.