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Judge rules against National Guard in LA, and Trump vows to send them to Chicago
Members of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines guard a federal building in June.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
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A California federal judge has ruled for the second time that President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles violated the law, stating it performed law enforcement duties that are prohibited for the military. But District Judge Charles R. Breyer delayed the implementation of his ruling until Sept. 12, in which time the Trump administration could appeal.
The judge took evidence in a trial last month about the actions of the guard stationed in L.A. in a unit called Task Force 51. Attorneys for the state argued with administration attorneys over whether the troops exceeded restrictions on the longstanding ban against U.S. military carrying out law enforcement on civilians.
"The record is replete with evidence that Task Force 51 executed domestic law in these prohibited ways," Breyer wrote in a 52-page ruling. He said the troops had set up traffic blockades to aid federal agents they were mixed with. "Bystanders at multiple locations and even federal officials at trial were unable to distinguish Task Force 51 troops from federal law enforcement agents."
He cited as another example when Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered guard troops to patrol MacArthur Park as a show of force for the federal presence.
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Breyer ruled in June that the guard deployment was illegal on other grounds but was immediately overturned by an appeals court panel of judges that allowed Trump to maintain control of the troops.
Trump had said he sent the troops in to stop a rebellion and to prevent protesters from blocking immigration agents. California officials contended there was no rebellion and police could have handled the situation on their own.
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