Protests against anti-immigrant actions in Los Angeles turn violent; Trump deploys National Guard without Governor's consent, sparking major constitutional debate.
America: Large-scale protests erupted in Los Angeles, California, in response to the Trump administration's actions against immigrants. While initially peaceful, these demonstrations quickly escalated into violence. The Trump administration responded forcefully, deploying the National Guard to quell the unrest.
The Role of the National Guard
The National Guard is a state-based military force comprising thousands of trained soldiers who typically serve part-time. Ordinarily, deployment within a state requires the governor's request. However, President Trump deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the consent of California's governor.
Legal Justification
Trump cited the U.S. Armed Forces Code (10 U.S.C. 12406) to justify this action. This law allows the President to deploy the National Guard into a state under three specific circumstances:
- Foreign attack or threat against the United States
- Insurrection or imminent threat of insurrection within the country
- Inability of local forces to maintain law and order
- Trump characterized the protests as an insurrection against the government, basing his decision on this justification.
Governor's Outrage
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, bly condemned Trump's actions, labeling them authoritarian and an attack on state sovereignty. He vowed legal action, accusing Trump of politically misusing military forces.
Historical Precedent
This marks the first instance since 1965 of National Guard deployment in a state without the governor's approval. While the National Guard was deployed during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, this occurred at the request of the then-governor. In 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, Trump threatened such deployment but ultimately did not implement it.
Force's Role
The National Guard's primary role in Los Angeles is to provide security for federal agents, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and Homeland Security. They will also assist in controlling violent crowds. This move is seen as a clear message from the administration that it will go to any length to maintain law and order.
