Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles, Reasserts State Authority

A Federal Judge has issued a restraining order against Trump returning control of the California National Guard to the states Governor Gavin Newsom

By Javar Juarez | Columbia Urban Broadcast Network

Los Angeles, CA — June 13, 2025

In a sweeping rebuke of executive overreach, a federal judge has issued a restraining order blocking President Donald Trump from deploying California National Guard troops in Los Angeles, ordering that operational control be returned to Governor Gavin Newsom. The ruling, delivered late Thursday by District Judge Charles R. Breyer, is set to take effect Friday at noon Pacific time.

Judge Breyer’s decision asserts that Trump’s unilateral deployment of National Guard troops violated both federal statutes and the Constitution. “His actions were illegal — both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” Breyer wrote in the opinion. Legal analysts say the ruling reaffirms a core principle of American federalism: that state governors, not the federal executive, maintain control over their own National Guard units in the absence of congressional authorization or insurrection.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision.

Escalating Tensions and Public Backlash

The judge’s ruling follows a turbulent week marked by unrest and rising public anger, including protests against aggressive federal immigration raids and what many see as an authoritarian use of military force to suppress dissent. Tensions spiked further when images surfaced of a Democratic U.S. senator from California being detained and handcuffed by federal agents—an incident that ignited bipartisan condemnation and outrage on social media.

Adding fuel to the national fire, a privately operated immigration detention center in Newark experienced unrest Thursday night. In Chicago, hundreds of demonstrators marched through city streets to protest the Trump administration’s expanded enforcement tactics and intimidation of immigrant communities.

Military Parade Meets Nationwide Resistance

The controversy also casts a shadow over a military parade planned for Saturday in Washington, D.C., coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday. In contrast, a coalition of labor unions, immigration advocates, and progressive organizations has planned a nationwide wave of protests the same day. Organizers say these demonstrations aim to reject “militarism on American soil” and stand against the criminalization of immigrant families.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has issued internal memos to U.S. attorneys and DOJ criminal divisions across the country, instructing them to be prepared for arrest warrants, searches, and possible criminal prosecutions in connection with weekend protests.

National Guard: A Militarized Response in Los Angeles

Before the ruling, roughly 2,100 National Guard troops had already been mobilized in Los Angeles, with another 2,000 slated for training. The military confirmed that an additional 700 Marines were expected to join the operation, stationed at a naval base south of the city. The joint force had been tasked with protecting federal infrastructure and personnel—a move critics labeled as political theater and a dangerous escalation.

General Michael Anders, who is overseeing the operation, defended the mobilization earlier this week, stating the military’s role was “strictly defensive.” But civil rights leaders and legal experts remain unconvinced.

“The message this sends to the American people—especially Black, Latino, and immigrant communities—is chilling,” said attorney Marisa Alvarado, director of the West Coast Center for Constitutional Rights. “Deploying troops against the public is not public safety. It’s political suppression.”

The Battle for Constitutional Control

Thursday’s ruling is likely to set up a constitutional showdown, pitting state sovereignty against a president eager to wield military power domestically amid waning public support and widespread discontent.

For California Governor Gavin Newsom, the judge’s order represents a critical legal and political victory. “This is about the rule of law, plain and simple,” Newsom said in a late-night statement. “Californians will not be governed by fear or federal intimidation. Our National Guard exists to serve our people, not to enforce a political agenda.”

With public demonstrations set to continue through the weekend, and the legal battle just beginning, the nation finds itself at a crossroads—where the balance of power between state and federal authority will once again be tested.