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News Topical, Digital Desk : A US federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to end its National Guard deployment in Los Angeles, a decision that deals a significant legal blow to Trump's efforts to militarize Democratic-held areas.
Troops were first deployed to the streets of Los Angeles in June this year, after Trump deployed 4,000 state National Guard reserve troops to quell protests against immigration raids.
Federal judge orders end of Los Angeles deployment
Local leaders said the small protests (which affected only a few blocks in America's second-largest metropolis) could have been easily handled by city, county, and state law enforcement. They also accused Trump of authoritarian high-handedness.
Although many soldiers have now been demobilized following a court order, the US military says 100 Guard soldiers are still deployed.
Governor Newsom called federalization illegal.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Senior U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said control of federalized National Guard troops should return to California Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom welcomed the judge's decision.
"Today's decision is crystal clear that the federalization of the National Guard in California is illegal and must end. We expect all National Guard service members to be returned to state service," he said.
Justice Department lawyers had argued that the troops that were federalized would remain under the president's command for as long as he wished. Breyer's decision rejected this argument.
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