‘Legally meritless’: Judge sides with Trump’s power grab rejecting Newsom’s plea to stop military overreach

A federal judge turned down California Governor Gavin Newsom’s urgent request to stop National Guard and Marine troops in Los Angeles from taking part in immigration enforcement operations.

Newsom argued that the Trump istration planned to use these troops in raids, saying this move was illegal and would cause serious, lasting harm to the city and state. His request, submitted to a California federal court, asked for a temporary order to block Trump’s military from being involved in such activities.

The state’s legal filing claimed the istration intended to Newsom argued this broke long-standing legal limits on using the military for domestic law enforcement.

According to The Independent, the Justice Department quickly pushed back against Newsom’s claims, calling them “legally meritless.” They said the requested restraining order was unheard of and risky, possibly endangering Department of Homeland Security workers and disrupting federal operations. The istration insisted the National Guard and Marines were only doing their job of protecting federal law enforcement, buildings, and staff during the ongoing protests in Los Angeles.

Judge sides with Trump against Newsom

At first, the judge did not approve Newsom’s request for an immediate order, instead setting a hearing for the next day to let the istration respond. While the judge did not reject Newsom’s request outright at that early stage, the delay meant the planned operations could potentially move forward without legal restrictions in the short term.

The White House and the Department of Homeland Security released separate statements explaining the troops’ role. The White House said the deployment was needed to safeguard federal property and personnel, suggesting Governor Newsom had allowed violent riots and attacks on law enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security stated the military was there to protect ICE officers and that troops could briefly detain rioters who attacked these officers until law enforcement could arrest them.

This legal challenge happened as tensions between Governor Newsom and President Trump were rising. Newsom had publicly warned about the istration’s supposed plans to put the troops into action, calling it a “red line” being crossed. President Trump, in response, said publicly he was thinking ing the Insurrection Act, which would give the military more power to operate within the U.S. This back-and-forth shows how deeply divided the two sides are politically, with Newsom strongly opposing the Trump istration’s moves.

The legal fight also includes another lawsuit filed by California against the istration for calling up the state’s National Guard without the governor’s approval. This points to a larger pattern of clashes between state and federal officials over how to handle the situation in Los Angeles. Reports indicate the White House had thought ing other federal agencies, like those that deal with drug and gun crimes, for immigration operations as part of a wider plan to speed up deportations.