Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Authoritarian Seizure of California National Guard in Los Angeles

A federal judge has delivered a powerful rebuke to the Trump administration’s blatant overreach, ordering it to terminate its deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles and return control to the state. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer sided with California officials, granting their request for a preliminary injunction against the federal government’s attempt to use the Guard for Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda without Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent. The administration’s actions, especially during protests against its cruel immigration policies in June, represented a shocking disregard for state sovereignty and democratic norms. Although the decision is paused until the following Monday, the ruling stands as a clear condemnation of the administration’s attempt to override local authority. By late October, the number of troops had already dwindled to about 100, reflecting the growing resistance to Trump’s militarization of domestic affairs.

Judge Breyer did not mince words, denouncing the administration’s justification for the deployment as “shocking” and bordering on “misrepresentation.” He accused the White House of trying to create a national police force by commandeering state troops, a move reminiscent of authoritarian regimes. The administration, undeterred in its disregard for democratic checks and balances, plans to appeal the ruling. This marks the first time in decades that National Guard troops were deployed without a governor’s request, and similar federal power grabs in Democratic-led cities like Portland and Chicago have also been thwarted by the courts.