A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration illegally ordered the National Guard to perform law enforcement duties during anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. The decision, issued Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco, found that the deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars military forces from enforcing domestic laws.
California officials sued after Guard troops were dispatched to Los Angeles over Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections earlier this summer. The judge’s order takes effect Friday but does not immediately require all troops to be withdrawn.
Lawyers for the administration argued the Guard’s presence was legal because troops were protecting federal officers rather than enforcing laws, citing presidential authority for mobilization. Breyer rejected that argument, writing, “Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act.”
The ruling applies only to California but could shape how the administration approaches future operations in cities it has targeted, including Chicago, Baltimore, and New York. Trump has already asserted direct control over Guard forces in Washington, D.C., as part of his broader law enforcement strategy.
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