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A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration must stop deploying California National Guard troops in Los Angeles and return authority over the forces to the state, marking the latest legal setback for the White House’s efforts to use military personnel in domestic law enforcement operations.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials who challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to use state Guard members without the governor’s approval to support federal immigration enforcement. Breyer delayed the implementation of his order until Monday, allowing time for the administration to consider its next steps.
California argued that conditions in Los Angeles had shifted significantly since Trump first assumed command of the Guard and deployed the troops in June. The administration initially activated more than 4,000 Guard members statewide, a number that had fallen to several hundred by late October, with roughly 100 remaining in the Los Angeles area.
The Republican administration extended the deployment through February and also attempted to use California Guard members in Portland, Oregon, as part of a broader initiative to send military personnel into cities led by Democratic officials over objections from local and state leaders.
Justice Department attorneys maintained that Guard members were still needed in Los Angeles to help protect federal staff and property.
A White House request for comment on Wednesday’s ruling was not immediately returned.
Trump assumed control of the California National Guard during protests that followed his administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts. The call-up marked the first time in decades that a state’s Guard had been activated without a request from its governor. Troops were initially stationed near a federal detention facility in downtown Los Angeles where protesters had gathered and were later sent into city streets to assist immigration officers during arrests.
California sued, and Breyer issued a temporary restraining order requiring the administration to return control of the Guard to the state. An appeals court later put that decision on hold while litigation continued.
State officials argued that the president’s actions amounted to using Guard members as a domestic police force, in violation of laws limiting the military’s role in civilian affairs. The administration countered that the president had authority to respond to what it described as violence during protests that impeded the enforcement of federal law.
Breyer ruled in September, following a full trial, that the deployment violated federal law. Other judges have similarly blocked administration attempts to send National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago.
