California on Monday filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump‘s administration over its order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom‘s approval.
The move has sharply escalated tensions between the federal government and the Golden State amid the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in Southern California.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Monday for comment.
What To Know
The Trump administration has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history and has conducted numerous ICE raids, some of which have swept up people with proper documentation.
The president on Saturday evening announced that he had authorized mobilization of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after reported violence against law enforcement, specifically ICE agents carrying out deportation raids in the city.
While the raids are following legal directive from federal authorities, protests have erupted amid reports that detainees were being held in the basement of a federal building. ICE denied these allegations, with a spokesperson previously telling Newsweek the agency “categorically refutes the assertions made by immigration activists in Los Angeles.”
The clashes highlight deepening conflicts between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration policy, as Trump has implemented sweeping changes through executive orders and utilized the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expand deportation authority.
Why the National Guard Was Called
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directly blamed Newsom over the federal government’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles.
The deployment came after reports of significant violence against law enforcement, including officers sustaining injuries from bricks thrown through vehicle windows, vehicles being burned and Molotov cocktails being launched at personnel conducting ICE operations.
Noem criticized Newsom’s handling of the unrest during a Sunday appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation, arguing that proper state-level response could have prevented the escalation. She emphasized that the 2,000 National Guard soldiers are specifically trained for crowd control issues and will provide security around federal buildings while supporting both peaceful protesters and law enforcement officers.
The federal intervention represents a sharp disagreement between state and federal authorities over jurisdiction and necessity. Newsom has maintained that local authorities are capable of handling the tumult and accused Trump of deliberately inflaming tensions through the deployment.
What To Know
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, names Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense as defendants.
“President Trump has repeatedly invoked emergency powers to exceed the bounds of lawful executive authority. On Saturday, June 7, he used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab, this time at the cost of the sovereignty of the State of California and in disregard of the authority and role of the Governor as commander-in-chief of the State’s National Guard,” the lawsuit states.
Trump deployed the 2,000 troops from California’s National Guard despite opposition from Newsom. In addition, Hegseth threatened to deploy active-duty Marines “if violence continues,” while 300 California National Guard troops from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived on Sunday with long guns and armored vehicles.
Newsom would ordinarily have control over California’s National Guard, but Trump federalized part of the troops to “address the lawlessness.” The president used Title 10 authority, which makes him the commander of the National Guard instead of the governor, Newsom’s office said.
Federal military forces are generally not allowed to be used for civilian law enforcement unless there is an emergency, usually determined with an 18th-century wartime law called the Insurrection Act.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta said that he and Newsom would appeal to a judge to declare the move unlawful, and to prevent further use of the National Guard.
Bonta told reporters during Monday’s news conference that the Trump administration “jumped from 0 to 60, bypassing law enforcement expertise and evaluation.”
Trump said during last year’s presidential campaign, and in the months after, that he would look to use any resource available to him, from ICE agents through local law enforcement to the military, to deliver on his promise of mass deportations.
California leaders say that it should be down to state- and city-level agencies to tackle any violence erupting from protests, while it is down to federal agents to enforce immigration laws.
What People Are Saying
Bonta, in a press release on Monday: “Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President’s authority under the law – and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order.”
Newsom posted to X on Sunday: “I have formally requested the Trump Administration rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command. We didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved. This is a serious breach of state sovereignty—inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they’re actually needed. Rescind the order. Return control to California.”
Trump, in a post to Truth Social on Monday: “We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California. If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated.”
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, previously told Newsweek: “Why do Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass care more about violent murderers and sex offenders than they do about protecting their own citizens? These rioters in Los Angeles are fighting to keep rapists, murderers, and other violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets. Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer.”
What Happens Next
Bonta expressed confidence in the lawsuit during Monday’s news conference, saying he did not think the issue would be a “very close” call for the courts.
White House Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly responded to the lawsuit in a statement to CNN saying, “It’s pathetic that Newsom is more focused on saving face than protecting law enforcement and holding criminals accountable.”
Update 6/9/25, 8:53 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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