Now, a federal judge has slammed the door on the Trump administration’s controversial National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, California. The ruling by United States District Judge Charles Breyer was a real shot across the bow. He requested the National Guard troops be returned, now under the command of California Governor Gavin Newsom. This decision follows the deployment of nearly 4,000 California National Guard members to Los Angeles in June. They accomplished this all without the governor’s approval.
As it stands, only just over 100 National Guard troops are still deployed in Los Angeles today. To his credit, state officials raised deep concerns about the first deployment getting rolled out. In doing so, they claimed that it occurred without proper public notice and vetting as well as grounds for any true emergency. Governor Newsom has been vocal in criticizing the action, describing it as an authoritarian power grab aimed at stifling dissent in cities perceived as centers of resistance to the Trump administration.
Judge Breyer largely granted the plaintiffs’ request, throwing out the government’s claim. He argued that it was not needed to quell demonstrations against the administration’s militaristic immigration round-ups. He stated, “The founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances. Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one.” This quote encapsulates the judge’s view on the importance of maintaining the balance of power between state and federal authorities.
Judge Breyer’s preliminary injunction most recently was granted just after California officials pursued legal action against the deployment. We received word that enforcement of this terrible decision has been stayed until Monday. This pause does nothing to stop the absence of a permanent federal military approach. The government just extended the deployment again until mid-February. They maintained that this local presence is crucial to protecting the safety of federal officials and property.
The challenges over this troop deployment aren’t only confined to Los Angeles — the fallout has spread to additional cities. The previous Trump administration was no stranger to such showdowns with California—see their unsuccessful bid to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon. This continuing fight is indicative of a deeper and more alarming pattern. Most notably, the administration deployed troops to Portland, Oregon and other cities despite the clear opposition from local and state leaders.
In response to the judge’s ruling, a spokesperson from Governor Newsom’s office described it as “another W (win) for Democracy, L (loss) for the rule of the Don.” This assertion is a signal of the widespread anxiety among Democratic local and state officials that these deployments amount to an executive power overreach.
