A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must cease deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of the troops to the state's authorities.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday after California officials opposed President Donald Trump’s controversial deployment of Guard troops, arguing it was executed without the governor's approval for immigration enforcement.
California highlighted that the circumstances in Los Angeles had changed since Trump initiated the deployment of over 4,000 troops in June, with the current figure dropping to around 100. Breyer's ruling comes just before an extended deployment that was slated to last until February.
The Justice Department argued that the troops were necessary to protect federal personnel, but California contended that their presence was inappropriate and violated laws restricting military involvement in domestic affairs.
Discussions around the deployment also implicated a broader pattern of sending military resources into Democratic-controlled cities like Portland and Chicago, which faced pushback from local officials.
Judge Breyer had previously ruled that Trump's deployment of the Guard violated legal protocols and issued an initial temporary restraining order to restore control to California, although this decision was temporarily stayed by an appeals court.
Despite ongoing tensions, the ruling encapsulates the ongoing legal and political battles over the role of military forces in civilian law enforcement, particularly in the context of immigration policy.
