Federal Judge Rules Trump’s National Guard Deployment in LA Unlawful

A federal judge has determined that the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles by President Donald Trump was unlawful.

US District Judge Charles Breyer, appointed by President Bill Clinton, concluded that both President Trump and the Secretary of Defense improperly utilized Marines and members of the federal California State Guard, violating the Posse Comitatus Act to support federal immigration authorities in the area. This ruling comes against the backdrop of significant protests against Trump’s immigration policies in Southern California.

In a 52-page ruling, Breyer noted, “The evidence at the trial established that defendants used systematically armed soldiers (whose identities were obscured by protective armor) and military vehicles to set up protective perimeters and traffic blockades, engaged in crowd control and demonstrated military presence in and around Los Angeles.”

He ultimately stated, “In short, the defendant violated the Congress Comitatos Act.”

The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.

During the summer, Trump had deployed thousands of National Guard troops to assist immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) and other federal authorities, prompting Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to consider a lawsuit. This immigration enforcement led to violent altercations between anti-ICE protesters and law enforcement across the city, resulting in significant property damage.

According to court documents, the Posse Comitatus Act is a 19th-century law. Breyer’s decision followed a three-day trial where he had posed questions about the president’s authority regarding military use for domestic law enforcement.

While the deployment had claimed some success—DHS announced that they had apprehended their 5,000th illegal immigrant since June—Breyer’s ruling comes as most National Guard troops have now been demobilized, although a few hundred remain. This decision could influence the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, especially as it considers actions in other large sanctuary cities.

Currently, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to intensify operations against immigrants in Chicago, facing pushback from local officials, including Mayor Brandon Johnson.