California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom have requested a court order to prevent President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense from deploying military forces and the federalized California National Guard for law enforcement in California communities. They claim this action is illegal, infringes on state sovereignty, increases tensions, and exacerbates civil unrest.
Attorney General Bonta stated, “The President is looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him. It’s not just immoral — It’s illegal and dangerous. Local law enforcement, not the military, enforce the law within our borders. The President continues to inflame tensions and antagonize communities. We’re asking the court to immediately block the Trump Administration from ordering the military or federalized national guard from patrolling our communities or otherwise engaging in general law enforcement activities beyond federal property.”
Governor Newsom expressed concern over the deployment’s implications for democracy: “The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy,” he said. “Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President. We ask the court to immediately block these unlawful actions.”
This legal action follows a lawsuit filed by Bonta and Newsom against Trump and Hegseth regarding orders under 10 U.S.C. § 12406 that seek to federalize the California National Guard for 60 days. The Department of Defense redirected hundreds of National Guard troops from San Diego to Los Angeles without state authorization or local law enforcement approval. In total, 4,000 National Guard troops were deployed statewide along with an additional 700 Marines.
A motion for a temporary restraining order has been filed.
