Trump Gets Green Light to Deploy National Guard in California for Now
Federal Executive Power Maintained: Trump Granted Temporary Authority over the National Guard
In a twist of events, U.S. President Donald Trump can keep deploying the National Guard in California for the time being. A federal appeals court halted a temporary restraining order issued by a district court in San Francisco late Thursday, following an appeal by the U.S. government.
Judge Charles Breyer of the San Francisco district court had earlier ruled that the deployment of the National Guard in California by the U.S. government was unlawful. He asserted that Trump overstepped his powers and needed to hand over control to the California government.
The temporary restraining order was initially scheduled to come into effect on Friday afternoon but is now on hold until a hearing on Tuesday. This means Trump can continue deploying the National Guard over the weekend, during which several rebellious protests are planned in Los Angeles.
Trump hailed this development on Friday morning, thanking the appeals court on his Truth Social platform. He reaffirmed his claim that Los Angeles would perish if he hadn’t sent soldiers there.
Unrest Sparks Protests
The friction between the U.S. government and California stemmed from protests against Trump’s stern immigration stance and ICE immigration raids. The U.S. government has mobilized 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 regular marine infantry for deployment in Los Angeles. Troops have been arriving in stages, with plans to stay until the threat subsides. So far, a deployment of up to 60 days has been scheduled.
California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, harshly criticized the deployment of thousands of National Guard soldiers and the planned arrival of marine infantry upon Trump’s orders in Los Angeles. After the San Francisco district court's ruling on Thursday, he called it "a fantastic day for democracy and the United States Constitution". Trump is acting like a king, Newsom stated at a press conference, and should desist from such behavior.
Display of Power
Typically, the federal government controls the National Guard. However, in times of war or national emergencies, the president can seize command. The National Guard is a military reserve unit and a part of the U.S. armed forces, available for deployment in cases of natural disasters, riots, or other internal catastrophes.
Taking command of the National Guard against the governor's wishes is an unusual exhibition of government control. Since 1965, no U.S. president has assumed control of a state’s National Guard against its declared intent.
Tensions Sizzle Ahead
Thousands protested in many U.S. cities again on Thursday against Trump and the often disruptive ICE immigration raids. The demonstrations, including in downtown Los Angeles where they started last week, seemed to be losing momentum. A nighttime curfew remains in effect in the downtown area.
Tensions could heat up over the weekend: A massive military parade is scheduled in Washington on Saturday night to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The event coincides with Trump's 79th birthday and is viewed critically by many Americans. Nationwide protests have been announced.
Senator Hauled Away
The political debate surrounding Trump’s immigration policy continues to reverberate in the U.S. During a press conference by Homeland Security Minister Kristi Noem in Los Angeles, Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcefully removed by security personnel. Padilla interrupted Noem as she addressed ongoing protests against Trump’s immigration policy. Security forces quickly intervened and dragged him out of the room. Senators, as high-ranking representatives of the American public, enjoy considerable respect. Consequently, the incident caused significant uproar.
Governor Newsom declared on Twitter that Padilla is among the most honorable people he knows. "This is unacceptable, tyrannical and reprehensible!" The Homeland Security Department stated that the Secret Service initially suspected a potential attacker in the scenario.
Millions in Trump's Crosshairs
Trump's administration has millions of migrants in its sights — those living in the U.S. for years, or even decades, without official residency permits. During his campaign, he pledged the largest mass deportations in history.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/appeal-court-blocks-california-order-force-trump-give-control-national-guard-2021-06-11/[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/11/trump-gavin-newsom-california-national-guard/[3] https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2021-06-11/federal-appeals-court-stays-california-judges-order-against-trump-over-national-guard[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/us/politics/trump-california-national-guard.html
- The ongoing political tensions between President Trump and the state of California involve a multitude of topics, including policy-and-legislation on immigration, war-and-conflicts in the form of national protests, and crime-and-justice in the context of controversial ICE immigration raids.
- General-news sources have reported that during a press conference by Homeland Security Minister Kristi Noem in Los Angeles, Democratic U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed by security personnel, sparking a general-news debate about politics, respect for senators, and the use of power.
- In light of the planned massive military parade in Washington and the scheduled deployment of National Guard soldiers in California, there are concerns about other unrest and protests in the near future, potentially leading to a heightened state of war-and-conflicts and a shift in politics.
