A federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles and ordered the troops to be returned under the control of state Governor Gavin Newsom.
In June, Trump sent thousands of National Guard troops to the California city following protests that erupted over his administration's intensified immigration raids. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer stated that the Trump administration had not demonstrated that the protests justified the federal takeover of the state's National Guard forces.
Judge Breyer pointed out that over 300 California National Guard troops are still federally controlled, six months post-federalization. He further negated the administration's argument for unchecked presidential control during declared emergencies. The Founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances... the only check they want is a blank one, Breyer said.
The Judge's order will come into effect on December 15, providing time for the Trump administration's expected appeal to a higher court. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson asserted, President Trump exercised his lawful authority to deploy National Guard troops to support federal officers and assets following violent riots, expressing optimism for a favorable outcome on appeal.
This year, Trump has sent National Guard troops to various cities, including Portland and Washington D.C., with similar deployments facing legal opposition from local officials.
Governor Newsom had initially contested the deployment soon after it began, but earlier appellate courts sided with the federal government. His new legal challenge, filed in November, hinges on the diminished level of protests in Los Angeles as justification for ending the National Guard's federal control.
Amidst ongoing discussions, Judge Breyer raised concerns about the necessity for sustained National Guard presence in the city, noting that experience teaches us that crises come and crises go. He criticized the administration's actions, calling them a move towards building a national police force composed of state troops.
This ruling adds to the complex narrative surrounding Trump's use of National Guard troops across the US, an approach he maintains is critical to addressing violence and enforcing immigration laws in cities he claims are unlawfully volatile.
