Court Finds Trump Era Military Deployment in LA Violated Federal Law
On Tuesday, a federal judge in California barred the Trump administration from deploying National Guard forces for crime-fighting missions.
US District Judge Charles Breyer said the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth federal law violation when they used the US military Los Angeles to aid law enforcement in and around Los Angeles this summer.
Breyer determined Trump illegally sent thousands of federalized California National Guard soldiers and US Marines to help federal agents during a crackdown on immigration in July and August. In his decision, the judge ruling said the president used the troops in a law enforcement capacity, which is generally prohibited by the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law that bars using the military for domestic policing.
The decision was reached at the conclusion of a multi-day trial held last month over the Trump administration’s deployment of troops in the state.
The judge’s ruling could have implications for the president, who is reportedly considering ordering National Guard troops to step up security in other cities, including some in California and Illinois. The Associated Press and other outlets have reported the president was thinking of using troops in Oakland, California and Portland, Oregon as well.
“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have indicated that they will employ National Guard troops in other cities across the country,” Breyer wrote in a 52-page opinion, “thereby creating a national police force under the President’s command.”
In his decision, Breyer said the administration methodically used armed soldiers and military vehicles—often concealed by riot gear—to provide perimeters, control traffic, manage crowds, and create a visible military presence in Los Angeles. “In a nutshell, what we had was a Posse Comitatus Act violation,” he added.
In an effort to halt further controversy over the military’s use in California, Judge Breyer barred Trump and Hegseth from having troops arrest, search, patrol, control traffic, manage riots, gather evidence, interrogate, or serve as informants. Breyer granted a request from the administration to pause that part of his ruling until next Friday, when they plan to file an appeal.
