That’s because a federal judge this week issued an injunction against President Donald Trump’s plan. The judge’s ruling prevents the deployment of National Guard troops in California to assist law enforcement. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued the final ruling Friday in San Francisco. This ruling puts a stop to the President’s intended actions against demonstrations related to the administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Today’s ruling imposes stringent restrictions on the deployment of National Guard troops on law enforcement activities in California. They can’t be used for things such as making arrests or crowd control. Judge Breyer emphasized that the deployment violated the federal Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits military forces from enforcing domestic laws. California just filed a lawsuit against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth under the Administrative Procedures Act to challenge the President’s actions. This decision follows their aggressive response to recent Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles.
In his ruling, Judge Breyer noted, “Congress spoke clearly in 1878 when it passed the Posse Comitatus Act, prohibiting the use of the U.S. military to execute domestic law.” He expressed concern that allowing such deployments could lead to the establishment of “a national police force with the President as its chief.”
The judge pointed out evidence presented during the trial, which indicated that while protests occurred in Los Angeles, some individuals engaged in violence. He stated, “Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law.” He highlighted that the defendants had employed military personnel and equipment to create a visible military presence in urban areas, stating that they “systematically used armed soldiers… to set up protective perimeters and traffic blockades.”
Judge Breyer’s decision is stayed until September 12 to give the Trump administration time to appeal. This ruling affects California and has implications for Trump’s previous considerations regarding deploying National Guard troops in other U.S. cities, including Oakland and San Francisco.
The judge’s ruling creates a crucial legal precedent for the use of military forces in domestic law enforcement. It demonstrates the reality and continued frustrations with the federalization of immigration policy and local control.