California Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s Attorney General have initiated a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s decision to deploy the California State Guard to quell immigrant protests in Los Angeles, labeling it an “unprecedented power grab.”
Filed on Monday in federal court in San Francisco, the lawsuit seeks to block Trump’s approval on the grounds that it infringes on state authority, which the plaintiffs argue is unconstitutional.
“One of the key principles of our democracy is that civilians govern, not military personnel,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit notes that the founders designed the Constitution to ensure governance by civil authorities rather than through military might.
This action follows Trump’s order on Saturday to send 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid rising protests, which city and state leaders did not request. Newsom formally requested that the federal government retract its announcement, and later that weekend, he confirmed the lawsuit’s filing.
The historical context echoes back to 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson deployed troops to protect civil rights protesters in Alabama.
Aside from constitutional concerns, the lawsuit contends that Trump exceeded his authority by deploying the military without gubernatorial consent, which was not provided.
“The President can only call the National Guard for federal service in the most pressing situations, and without state objections,” the complaint argues.
As protests escalated over the weekend, at times resulting in violence, images circulated showing a burning vehicle, prompting White House officials to claim the situation had spiraled out of control.
California’s leadership is asserting its responsibility in managing the state’s affairs, arguing the federal government is unnecessarily complicating the situation.
“This outcome was somewhat inevitable, and we believe the President should have let state and local governments continue their crucial work,” Newsom remarked.
Demonstrations persisted through Monday, with the Pentagon announcing plans to move around 700 Marines into the area.
This lawsuit marks one of two actions California has taken against the Trump administration on the same day. Earlier, the Attorney General’s office also took legal action against the Department of Justice regarding federal funds tied to a 16-year-old transgender athlete who had earned a spot in a high school state championship.
