KLIK SAJA - The deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell unrest over immigration policy has sparked prolonged controversy across the United States.
Many critics view President Donald Trump’s move as authoritarian and repressive, arguing that it falls outside the jurisdiction of the federal government.
They see the action as a politically charged overreach rather than a necessary federal intervention.
Nevertheless, a U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that President Trump is within his legal rights to maintain control over the National Guard forces he deployed to Los Angeles, despite strong opposition from city officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Trump sent in the troops in response to massive protests sparked by his tough immigration policies. Local leaders called the deployment a needless provocation that escalated tensions rather than restoring order.
On Thursday, a panel of three federal judges ruled that the president acted lawfully when he mobilized the troops to “protect federal personnel and property.”
Trump hailed the court’s decision as a “big win.”
Previously, Judge Charles Breyer had issued a ruling declaring Trump’s actions illegal, stating that the president “did not” comply with the law set by Congress regarding the deployment of a state’s National Guard.
“His actions were unlawful... He must therefore immediately return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California,” Judge Breyer wrote.
However, the judge temporarily stayed the order until June 13, giving the Trump administration time to file an appeal—which it did almost immediately.
Thursday’s unanimous appeals court decision stated that Trump’s “failure to issue the federalization order directly through the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority to activate the National Guard.”
“This is far bigger than just Gavin [Newsom],” Trump posted on social media following the ruling. “Across the United States, if our cities and our people need protection, we are the ones who must provide it when state and local police—whatever the reason—cannot get the job done.”
He also congratulated the court, adding, “America is proud of you tonight!”
However, in the court’s 38-page opinion, the judges made clear that they disagreed with Trump on the broader legal justification for his use of the National Guard. They emphasized that his decision was not “completely immune from judicial review.”
