Newsom files emergency court request to block troop deployment in L.A.

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed an emergency request in federal court seeking to block what they describe as the unlawful expansion of President Trump’s military deployment in Los Angeles, calling the move unconstitutional and a direct threat to civil liberties.

The request, filed on Tuesday, follows President Trump’s order to mobilize an additional 2,000 California National Guard troops, adding to the 2,000 already federalized and the 700 active-duty Marines deployed to support federal operations.

According to Newsom’s office, the new mission extends beyond protecting federal property and unlawfully directs troops and U.S. Marines to assist in civilian law enforcement activities throughout the region, including arrests and detentions.

“The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens,” Newsom said in a statement. “Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy. Donald Trump is behaving like a tyrant, not a President.”

California Attorney General Bonta said the President is “looking for any pretense to place military forces on American streets to intimidate and quiet those who disagree with him.” He added that using the military for general law enforcement beyond federal property is both “illegal and dangerous.”

The emergency filing follows Monday’s lawsuit in California against President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense (DOD), arguing that the President’s use of Title 10 authority violates the U.S. Constitution. State officials say the President issued his initial order without the consent of the Governor, as required by law, and that local and state agencies were already handling the situation.

Federal immigration raids that began last Thursday in Los Angeles triggered mass protests and clashes, initially in downtown but now spreading to Santa Ana, Dallas, Austin, and New York City. ICE allegedly detained children, community advocates, and individuals with no criminal record, sparking outrage and continued demonstrations.

Following the initial protests, President Trump issued a memorandum authorizing 2,000 National Guard troops to be placed under federal command for 60 days, citing a “form of rebellion.” Newsom’s office argues that this memo sets a dangerous precedent by allowing the President to commandeer any state’s militia without consent.

The state also alleges that DOD has since expanded the scope of the Guard’s duties, directing troops to actively support ICE in arresting civilians.

According to Newsom, federal troops have largely remained idle. He said that of the first 2,000 federalized Guard members, only about 300 have been deployed, while the remainder are confined to federal buildings without orders or basic supplies.

“The President’s actions have not only caused widespread panic and chaos, but have unnecessarily created an additional diversion of resources as the state tries to calm a community terrorized by this reckless federal action,” the Governor’s office stated.

Just before the state’s emergency court filing, President Trump defended his decision, telling reporters in the Oval Office, “If we didn’t send out the National Guard—Los Angeles would be burning right now! These are paid insurrections… we have in custody some very bad people.”

The Governor’s office noted the contrast between Trump’s current actions and his past statements. In 2020, the President said he would not federalize the National Guard without a governor’s approval. His own administration, officials said, previously warned against such moves as an assault on state sovereignty.

State officials say they have surged over 800 additional state and local law enforcement officers to Los Angeles to stabilize the situation, while the National Guard remains stationed outside federal buildings.

California is seeking immediate judicial intervention to stop the deployment expansion and prevent any military involvement in civilian law enforcement across the state.