Federal Court Rules Trump's Deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles Illegal

Donald Trump is facing another legal setback as a federal court ruled on Tuesday that the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles, ordered by the US president for law enforcement duties, was illegal. Judge Charles Breyer determined that this measure violates the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from performing police functions. Consequently, the judge has barred the deployed soldiers from participating in security patrols, riot control, arrests, searches, or crowd management. This ruling, however, will not take effect until September 12, allowing the government time to appeal. Judge Breyer articulated that the use of federal troops for law enforcement creates a national police force under the president’s command, a direct infringement on the Posse Comitatus Act established in 1878. This law safeguards the principle that military intervention in civilian matters poses risks to democracy and individual freedoms. During the trial, evidence revealed that defendants systematically employed armed soldiers, often obscured by protective gear and military vehicles, to create protective perimeters, establish traffic blockades, engage in crowd control, and reinforce a military presence in and around Los Angeles. In his ruling, Judge Breyer concluded, 'Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act.' While the Posse Comitatus Act strictly prohibits military involvement in law enforcement, an exception exists in the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the National Guard during instances of rebellion against the government in any state. Nevertheless, this act mandates that a presidential order must stem either from a request by the affected state legislature or governor, from court findings, or when local officials are unable or unwilling to act. Trump's order to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles came last June amid widespread protests against his stringent immigration policies, particularly raids targeting undocumented immigrants. The California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed the president's actions during this period. Trump has frequently boasted that had he not ordered the deployment, Los Angeles would have spiraled into chaos, claiming today it would be an obliterated city. Following the Los Angeles deployment, he issued a similar order for Washington on August 11, declaring that the violence levels warranted a national emergency declaration. As legal challenges and political disputes continue to unfold, this ruling against Trump’s deployment illustrates the complex intersections between law enforcement policy, military involvement, and civil liberties in the United States. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2