A federal judge in California has decided that President Donald Trump’s use of the National Guard in Los Angeles this past summer was unlawful. This ruling emerged as Trump is contemplating similar deployments in various cities to address crime and support immigration enforcement. The National Guard troops were dispatched to Los Angeles in June, following protests against immigration raids.
US District Judge Charles Breyer determined that the federal government violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the military’s power in domestic affairs. Breyer has temporarily suspended the ruling until September 12, and it is anticipated that Trump will appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, the president has already sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and is considering deploying them to Chicago shortly. Following the deployment in Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom initiated legal action, claiming violations of the Posse Comitatus Act. Judge Breyer’s ruling currently applies only to California but may indicate potential legal challenges regarding Trump’s plans to utilize the National Guard for enforcing policies in other regions.
In his order, Judge Breyer expressed concerns about the implications of Trump’s executive actions, suggesting that they could lead to the establishment of a national police force under presidential control. The ruling forbids the National Guard from conducting arrests, searches, seizures, security, crowd control, riot control, evidence collection, and interrogation.
The White House, Defense Department, and Justice Department did not respond to requests for comments regarding the ruling. This case marks the second lawsuit initiated by Newsom against the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. The first lawsuit aimed to regain control over California’s National Guard contingent, but while Breyer sided with Newsom, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals supported Trump’s authority.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ylyd9lkkqo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss