National Guard deployment during LA protests by Trump deemed unlawful, according to a judge's ruling
In a significant ruling, US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco determined that the Trump administration had "willfully" violated federal law by deploying National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area in early June. The order applies only to California, but could potentially set a precedent that impacts plans by the Trump administration in other Democratic-led cities.
The deployment, which saw roughly 4000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines sent to Los Angeles, was the first time in decades that a state's national guard was activated without a request from its governor, marking a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration's mass deportation efforts.
Army Major General Scott Sherman, who initially commanded the troops deployed to Los Angeles, testified that he raised concerns about the deployment potentially violating the Posse Comitatus Act. However, Sherman was told by his superiors that there was a "constitutional exception" that permitted such activities when the troops are protecting federal property or personnel.
The ruling accused the Trump administration of using troops for functions that were barred by their own training materials. The White House has indicated that it plans to appeal the ruling, which ordered the federal government to stop using the troops "to execute the laws".
The deployment appeared to be a response to immigration raids that prompted days of protests. National Guard members joined federal immigration officers on raids at two state-licensed marijuana nurseries in Ventura County.
Secretary Noem claimed that Los Angeles would not have been secure without Trump's actions, while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the Trump administration's plan to expand immigration operations in Chicago. However, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have expressed opposition to the expected federal mobilization, with city officials stating that crime has fallen in Chicago and planning to sue if Trump moves forward with the plan.
Interestingly, about 800 National Guard troops were deployed to Washington DC without substantiation that they were needed to reduce crime. Meanwhile, the National Guard troops have not yet been deployed to Oakland or San Francisco; President Trump threatened to send them to these cities as part of his plan to "clean up" what he described as crime-ridden Democratic-led cities, but city leaders strongly oppose this and there is no public evidence that such a deployment has occurred or been officially ordered yet.
California sued the Trump administration, stating the troops sent to Los Angeles over the summer were violating a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws. The ruling comes as Trump has pushed the bounds of typical military activity on domestic soil, including through the creation of militarized zones along the US-Mexico border.
