A federal judge on Tuesday barred the Trump administration from sending the National Guard to fight crime in California, ruling the president’s deployment of troops violated federal law.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued the order for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, according to a court filing.
Breyer prohibited the use of troops deployed in California and any other military troops in the state to “execute the laws,” but he paused his ruling pending further legal action.
The ruling follows a three-day trial last month. Breyer ruled that Trump’s actions violated the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law sharply limiting the use of federal troops to enforce civilian laws.
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“There were indeed protests in Los Angeles, and some individuals engaged in violence,” Breyer wrote. “Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law.”
The ruling is a win for Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and raises legal questions about presidential authority.
This is a developing news story and will be updated.
