Trial Begins Over Trump’s Use of National Guard in Los Angeles Immigration Protests

Next week, a federal judge is set to hear arguments regarding the actions of former President Donald Trump, who is accused of potentially violating federal law by deploying federalized National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles amid the protests sparked by immigration raids this summer.

California has filed a lawsuit contending that the deployment on June 7 violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement, and overstepped the president’s constitutional powers. The state is requesting an order from U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer to restore control of the troops to Gov. Gavin Newsom and to halt any further federal deployment of military forces in civilian law enforcement activities.

In a significant move, the Department of Defense has mobilized approximately 4,000 troops from the California National Guard, along with 700 Marines, in response to the protests that have surged in Los Angeles following the arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite the withdrawal of the majority of forces, state officials confirm that 250 Guard members remain stationed at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

Breyer has previously determined that the deployment infringed upon the Tenth Amendment; however, an appeals court has permitted federal oversight to persist while awaiting trial. Troops coordinated with immigration officers, conducting raids across Los Angeles and monitoring marijuana farm locations in Ventura County. Simultaneously, Marines stood watch over a federal building that had become the focal point of ongoing protests.

The Trump administration asserts that the deployments were essential for safeguarding federal facilities and personnel, citing a delayed response from local law enforcement. Federal attorneys argue that the president exercised Title 10 authority to enforce U.S. law when civilian agencies failed to fulfill their responsibilities.

Breyer dismissed assertions that the protests constituted a “rebellion,” paving the path for a three-day bench trial set to commence next week.