Judge Sides with California in National Guard Dispute with Trump
In a significant legal ruling, a federal judge has ordered President Trump to relinquish control of the National Guard to California Governor Gavin Newsom by Friday noon Pacific Time. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing contention between the Trump administration and the state of California regarding the deployment of military forces in response to immigration issues.
President Trump’s decision to deploy 4,000 members of the California National Guard and several hundred U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, against the wishes of the state’s Democratic governor, sparked controversy. The federal judge’s ruling, which could be subject to appeal, represents a challenge to the White House’s authority in handling illegal immigration and the public’s opposition to military involvement.
In a hearing on Thursday, District Judge Charles Breyer dismissed the administration’s argument that the president’s decision to activate the National Guard was beyond judicial review. “That’s the difference between a constitutional government and King George. It’s not that the leader can simply say something and then it becomes it,” Judge Breyer remarked.
Historically, governors oversee National Guard units, although presidents can federalize them. This situation marks the first instance in six decades where a U.S. president has activated a state’s National Guard over a governor’s objections, with the last occurrence being President Lyndon Johnson’s deployment of troops to Alabama in 1965.
Trump’s deployment order cited attempts to hinder immigration agents in Los Angeles as “a form of rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States.” However, California officials argued that these protests did not amount to rebellion or insurrection, and the military presence only heightened tensions without any reports of deaths or serious injuries.
Governor Newsom denounced the military’s involvement as unlawful, stating, “The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy.”
The White House maintained that the military was not conducting law enforcement activities but was instead there to support federal agents. The Justice Department’s lawyers argued that there was ongoing interference with immigration agents, which justified the president’s decision to deploy military forces.
This is a developing story that will be updated as we get more information.
Laura Fitzgerald covers California politics for CapRadio
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
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