Trump administration illegally dispatched National Guard troops to Los Angeles during the summer.
California has found itself at the centre of a legal storm, with the state suing the federal government over the deployment of troops, alleging it violates the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. This law prohibits the military from enforcing domestic laws.
The controversy arose following protests over immigration raids, which saw thousands of protesters take to the streets, blocking off a major freeway and setting self-driving cars ablaze. The deployment appears to be the first time in decades that a state's national guard was activated without a request from its governor, marking a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration's mass deportation efforts.
President Donald Trump's administration has been ruled by a federal judge to have "willfully" violated federal law by sending National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area in early June. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, in a statement, celebrated the ruling, stating, "No president is a king - not even Trump - and no president can trample a state's power to protect its people."
The administration, it seems, was aware that they were ordering troops to execute domestic law beyond their usual authority. They refused to "meaningfully coordinate with state and local officials" and gave federal law enforcement agencies guidance on the language to use when requesting the Guard's assistance.
The White House has announced sending National Guard units to cities such as Oakland and San Francisco, along with New York and Baltimore, all of which are governed by Democrats. The deployment of approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines to Los Angeles was later reduced to 300 soldiers.
Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, who initially commanded the troops, testified that they accompanied federal immigration officers on raids at two state-licensed marijuana nurseries in Ventura County. Sherman raised concerns that the deployment could violate the Posse Comitatus Act.
The judge's order regarding the violation of federal law by the Trump administration goes into effect on September 12. The judge presiding over the case is based in San Francisco, not Washington. Law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bangs to control the crowd. The soldiers marched in MacArthur Park in downtown Los Angeles as a show of force.
The ruling, made by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, states that the administration used troops for functions that were barred by their own training materials. The order bars troops from actions such as making arrests, searches, acting as informants, and collecting evidence.
Associated Press writers from Washington, Atlanta, and Trenton, N.J., contributed to this story.
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