Judge Rules Trump’s Use Of National Guard In LA Is Illegal — Trump Says Chicago Is Still Next
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that President Trump illegally deployed the California National Guard and the U.S. Marines to crack down on anti-ICE protests and enforce immigration policies in Los Angeles in June.
That ruling does not apply to other states, and Trump said Tuesday that the National Guard is "going in" to Chicago next, but did not say when that would happen.
NATIONAL POLICE FORCE
Judge Charles Breyer, a Clinton appointee and the younger brother of retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, said the move violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from domestic law enforcement. The order is delayed until Sept. 12 to allow for an appeal.
Judge Breyer warned that the move risks creating a “national police force with the President as its chief.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth federalized 2,000 California National Guard troops in early June, sparking a clash with Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump has since pulled back all but 300.
The Trump administration argued California lacked standing to sue, saying the National Guard was only protecting ICE agents — not enforcing immigration laws.
UP NEXT
Trump has also signaled he would like to similarly deploy National Guard units and hundreds of Homeland Security officers to Chicago and other Democratic-controlled cities — with reports saying that could happen as soon as this week.
“Chicago is a hellhole right now. Baltimore is a hellhole right now. Parts of Los Angeles are terrible," Trump said Tuesday.