California has requested a preliminary injunction to prevent the Trump Administration from extending the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles through Election Day. The request follows a federal court decision that blocked what it described as the illegal use of the military for law enforcement purposes in Los Angeles.
Governor Gavin Newsom filed the injunction after most National Guard soldiers were released from service in early August, but 300 members remained deployed under an order from the Secretary of Defense. This order extended their “federal protective mission” until at least November 5. The court stated that sending federalized troops for “federal protection” was a violation of the law.
According to Governor Newsom, “The timing of Trump’s extension of the National Guard soldiers isn’t coincidental – he’s holding onto soldiers through Election Day. There was never a need and there is not a need now for soldiers to be deployed against their communities. The federal government hasn’t even tried to justify keeping the military in Los Angeles because they can’t. The reality is this – they want to continue their intimidation tactics to scare Californians into submission.”
Attorney General Bonta also commented on the situation: “The Trump Administration continues to hold our National Guard servicemembers hostage as part of an unprecedented attempt to militarize American streets. The initial federalization and deployment of these troops was unjustified – their redeployment for an additional 90 days is absurd. We’re asking the court to block implementation of this latest order, and we are confident that given the facts – or lack thereof – underpinning this order, the court will agree.”
On Tuesday, a federal court granted California’s injunction blocking what it determined was President Trump’s illegal use of U.S. military forces as domestic police. In its ruling, the court stated: “The Court ORDERS that Defendants [TRUMP ADMIN] are enjoined from deploying, ordering, instructing, training, or using the National Guard currently deployed in California, and any military troops heretofore deployed in California, to execute the laws, including but not limited to engaging in arrests, apprehensions, searches, seizures, security patrols, traffic control, crowd control, riot control, evidence collection, interrogation, or acting as informants.”
The legal dispute began on June 10 when President Trump ordered more than 4,000 California National Guard members and U.S. Marines into Los Angeles for missions beyond guarding federal buildings—expanding their role into civilian law enforcement activities across local communities. Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta responded by filing an emergency request with the court.
The deployment removed many guardsmen from essential civilian jobs such as medical response teams, teachers, law enforcement personnel and technology specialists. Normally about 450 guardmembers serve statewide under state command focusing on issues like drug interdiction at ports of entry; those resources were redirected by President Trump’s orders.
Retired senior military officials and veterans’ groups have also voiced concerns about potential risks stemming from what they call an illegal takeover of California’s National Guard.
