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Trump’s use of US military in LA illegal, judge rules 

3 16
03.09.2025
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The Big Story

Trump’s use of US military in LA illegal, judge rules

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that National Guard troops ran afoul of the law in Los Angeles when President Trump deployed them in June to assist in immigration raids.

© Associated Press

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled their actions violated an 1878 law that generally bars federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement. The ruling comes as Trump publicly discusses putting troops in Chicago.

“This was intentional—Defendants instigated a months-long deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles for the purpose of establishing a military presence there and enforcing federal law. Such conduct is a serious violation of the Posse Comitatus Act,” Breyer wrote.

Although most of the troops are no longer deployed in the city, the judge’s order blocks any remaining ones from making arrests and searches or conducting traffic patrols and riot control until the government meets a valid legal exception.

Breyer paused his order until Sept. 12, providing the administration with an avenue to appeal before it goes into effect.

An appeals court blocked a previous Breyer order that found Trump illegally federalized the National Guard and must hand back control to California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

“The military will remain in Los Angeles. This is a false narrative and a misleading injunction,” acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on the social platform X. “The military has never engaged in direct law enforcement operations here in LA."

Trump deployed several thousand National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles in June as protests erupted in the city over the administration’s immigration crackdown, turning violent in some cases.

It sparked a major confrontation between Trump and Newsom, who has leaned into his role as a visible Trump foe to energize Democrats eager to see members of their party fight back at the president.

“DONALD TRUMP LOSES AGAIN,” Newsom posted on X in response to the ruling. “The courts agree — his militarization of our streets and use of the military against US citizens is ILLEGAL.”

Newsom and California Attorney General

© The Hill