Federal Judge Orders Trump to Relinquish Control of National Guard in California
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 12, 2025
- 2 min read
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order requiring President Donald Trump to return control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles back to California Governor Gavin Newsom. The ruling, which takes effect at noon on Friday, found that the president’s deployment of the Guard to assist with immigration enforcement and unrest violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded his statutory authority.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer stated that President Trump overstepped legal bounds when he federalized approximately 4,000 members of the California National Guard following protests linked to an intensified immigration crackdown. The deployment had been opposed by Governor Newsom, who subsequently filed a lawsuit to block the Guard’s involvement, particularly in assisting immigration agents during raids.
According to Breyer’s ruling, the circumstances in Los Angeles did not justify the federalization of the Guard under Title 10, a provision that allows the president to activate the National Guard under specific and limited conditions such as invasion or rebellion. Breyer concluded that “the protests in Los Angeles fall far short of ‘rebellion,’” and therefore, the deployment was unconstitutional.
Governor Newsom’s lawsuit asserted that involving the Guard in immigration operations would inflame tensions and exacerbate unrest, especially in immigrant communities. His emergency motion requested the court to prohibit the troops from supporting federal immigration raids.
The Trump administration dismissed the legal challenge as a “crass political stunt endangering American lives,” and quickly filed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court following the judge’s decision. In court filings, the Justice Department claimed the president’s actions were not subject to judicial review, referencing historical precedents involving military deployments by former presidents Eisenhower and Nixon.
However, Judge Breyer firmly rejected that argument. Holding up a copy of the Constitution in court, he remarked, “We’re talking about the president exercising his authority, and the president is of course limited in that authority. That’s the difference between a constitutional government and King George.”
Despite the ruling, it remains unclear how quickly the decision will alter the situation on the ground. As of Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, commander of Task Force 51, reported that around 500 Guard troops had already been trained to accompany immigration agents during enforcement operations. Images showing Guard personnel providing security at raid sites had already surfaced.
The order does not affect Marines stationed in the area, who remain under separate military authority and have not yet been seen interacting with protesters.
The National Guard deployment and federal immigration raids have sparked widespread protests in Los Angeles and beyond, with demonstrations now reported in Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. Immigration agents have been conducting arrests in locations such as Home Depot parking lots and various workplaces, intensifying fear in immigrant communities and drawing criticism from local leaders.
Los Angeles area mayors, civil rights advocates, and immigration groups have strongly condemned the raids and the federal presence. On Wednesday, dozens of mayors issued a joint demand for the removal of the troops and a halt to the raids.
President Trump, in public remarks, painted Los Angeles as a city in crisis, an assertion refuted by both Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, who said the president’s characterizations were wildly exaggerated.
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