SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that the state is suing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles without Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent.
The lawsuit comes after a weekend of violent protests sparked by immigration enforcement operations in the L.A. area. President Trump ordered the deployment Saturday night, calling protesters “troublemakers and insurrectionists.” National Guard troops and federal officers clashed with crowds near the Metropolitan Detention Center, resulting in 39 arrests.
Governor Newsom blasted the move as “illegal and immoral,” stating that the federal government cannot commandeer a state’s National Guard without authorization. “Trump federalized the Guard without my consent — that’s unconstitutional. We’re suing,” Newsom posted on X.
The lawsuit argues that the deployment violates the U.S. Constitution and deprives California of emergency response resources. Attorney General Bonta emphasized, “This is not just a legal overreach — it’s disruptive to the Guard’s mission and our state’s ability to protect its citizens.”
President Trump, unfazed, responded that Newsom should be arrested for obstruction and praised Border Czar Tom Homan for pushing back on sanctuary policies. “I’d do it if I were Tom,” Trump said.
The deployment follows a sharp escalation in Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign, which includes expanded ICE operations, new deportation funding, and a proposed crackdown on sanctuary cities. Newsom, meanwhile, has vowed to resist what he calls a “militarized response to civil unrest.”
As the legal fight begins, National Guard troops remain stationed in parts of Los Angeles, with additional support expected from federal law enforcement and, potentially, Marines.
