Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles

By Staff, Agencies

A federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy California’s National Guard to Los Angeles, declaring the move illegal and ordering the troops be returned under the control of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

US District Judge Charles Breyer issued the decision Thursday, stating that President Donald Trump violated congressional law by ordering the deployment without the state’s consent. The ruling was temporarily paused until Friday afternoon to allow for an appeal, which the administration promptly filed.

Judge Breyer emphasized the constitutional limits on presidential power, holding up a copy of the Constitution and explaining that the president is not above the law. “The president is limited in his authority,” he said, contrasting constitutional government with monarchy.

The case arose after California sued the Trump administration following the deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against immigration policies. The administration justified the move by invoking a federal law that allows federal control of the Guard during a rebellion.

California argued the protests, which involved over 300 arrests and freeway closures, did not qualify as a rebellion or insurrection.

Governor Newsom praised the ruling, stating the military should be used on battlefields, not city streets. The Trump administration defended its actions, arguing the deployment was necessary to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] agents conducting raids and insisting the governor had been informed beforehand.

Judge Breyer rejected this argument, clarifying that the president cannot override a governor’s control of the National Guard except in very limited situations defined by the Constitution. This case represents a rare challenge to presidential authority over state military forces, with the last comparable action dating back to the civil rights era.

The ruling underscores that even during unrest, presidential power to federalize the National Guard is constitutionally constrained and subject to checks by the judiciary.