CA Guard Control Dispute Intensifies Amid Legal Fight

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump unlawfully federalized California's National Guard in response to Los Angeles protests, ordering control returned to Governor Gavin Newsom due to violations of statutory authority and the Tenth Amendment. The Justice Department immediately appealed, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the order, allowing Trump to retain control of the Guard pending further hearings. The deployment, opposed by California officials, occurred during protests over federal immigration raids and led to the controversial handcuffing of Senator Alex Padilla at a press conference, drawing condemnation from civil rights groups. Governor Newsom criticized the intervention as a 'vulgar display of weakness.' The legal dispute over whether a president can federalize state troops without a governor's consent may reach the Supreme Court. The deployment of the Guard is now suspended until the courts issue a final decision.