A US federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles and ordered them returned to the control of the state's governor.
Judge Charles Breyer rejected the Trump administration's claim that recent protests against immigration authorities amounted to a rebellion that legally justified the extraordinary step of taking federal control of state National Guard units and sending them into the streets.
Trump ordered about 4,000 California National Guard troops to mobilise in June, despite objections from state and local officials.
He said the deployment was a response to an emergency and necessary to protect federal property and personnel during tense demonstrations.
The troops were being scaled back and, as of last month, about 300 California National Guard members were still under the president’s command.
The administration was expected to reduce the number to 100, who would remain federalised until February.
California’s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom challenged the original deployment in court, but the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in June that conditions in Los Angeles justified Trump taking control of the state’s National Guard and directing troops to support the enforcement of immigration laws.
"Migrant invasion"
Trump administration said the deployment was in response to violent protests against federal immigration raids.
The move aimed to protect federal personnel and property amid what the president described as a "migrant invasion," despite objections from Newsom and local law enforcement's ability to respond.
A district court judge initially said Trump acted illegally when he deployed the Guard over Newsom’s opposition. But an appeals court said the administration could keep control of the troops.
Newsom, who opposed the move, framed the National Guard's deployment to LA as politically motivated.
"We call on Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theater and send everyone home now,” he said earlier this year.
