Federal Judge Rules Trump National Guard Use Illegal in Los Angeles Immigration Protests

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump's administration violated federal law by deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles during immigration enforcement operations and protests, citing the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement. The ruling, issued by US District Judge Charles Breyer, follows a lawsuit filed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who argued that the deployment defied longstanding legal norms. While the judge did not order the immediate withdrawal of the troops, he set the ruling to take effect on September 12, and the Trump administration is expected to appeal. The administration contended that the Posse Comitatus Act did not apply because the troops were protecting federal officers rather than enforcing laws and claimed presidential authority to deploy them under specific legal provisions. This decision occurs amid President Trump's broader discussions of deploying the National Guard in other Democratic-led cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, and New York, as well as his ongoing law enforcement actions in Washington, D.C. Governor Newsom and city leaders opposed the federalization of the California National Guard, emphasizing the legal and political tensions surrounding the use of military personnel in domestic affairs.