A federal judge in San Francisco, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, ruled on Wednesday that the U.S. government must cease using the California National Guard in Los Angeles and hand back control of the troops to the state. This decision came after California officials sought a preliminary injunction against President Donald Trump’s utilization of the state’s National Guard troops without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s consent.
Judge Breyer granted the injunction, putting the decision on hold until Monday to allow the White House time to respond. Governor Newsom criticized Trump for diverting the troops from their public safety duties, emphasizing that the federalization of the California National Guard must cease.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta hailed the ruling as a win for democracy and accused the administration of politicizing the deployment of troops. The White House indicated intentions to appeal the ruling, expressing confidence in achieving a favorable outcome.
Originally, over 4,000 California National Guard troops were called up by the administration, but the number had decreased to around a hundred by late October. The deployment, extended until February, included efforts to involve California Guard members in Portland, Ore. The Justice Department argued that these troops were necessary to safeguard federal personnel and property in Los Angeles.
This deployment marked a significant departure from protocol, as it was the first time in years that a state’s National Guard was activated without the governor’s request. The troops were stationed outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles and later used to assist immigration officers during arrests, prompting opposition from California, which argued that the deployment violated laws restricting military involvement in domestic affairs.
Other judges have also intervened to block similar deployments of National Guard troops by the administration in Portland, Ore., and Chicago. These actions have stirred controversies, especially as National Guard members are prohibited from performing law enforcement functions by the Posse Comitatus Act.
Instances of heightened deportations have resulted in violent incidents, raising concerns about the administration’s aggressive immigration policies. Protests and tragic incidents, like a worker’s death during an ICE raid in Camarillo, Calif., have underscored the tensions surrounding these deployments.