NextFin news, A federal judge in San Francisco delayed consideration on Tuesday of California's request to bar the Trump administration from continuing to deploy 300 National Guard troops in the Los Angeles area. The judge, Senior District Judge Charles Breyer, issued the order amid an ongoing appeal before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge Breyer had ruled last week that the Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard troops to Los Angeles without proper authority. However, he paused the enforcement of his order, which was scheduled to take effect on September 12, to allow time for the administration to appeal.
In his September 2 ruling, Breyer stated the administration "willfully" broke federal law by ordering troops to execute domestic law enforcement activities beyond their usual authority. The troops, often obscured by protective armor and accompanied by military vehicles, were used for crowd control, traffic blockades, and establishing military presence during protests over immigration raids in early June.
California officials subsequently filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction to block an August 5 order from the administration extending the deployment of the 300 troops for an additional 90 days. The state argued that the extended deployment would amount to a form of military occupation affecting residents through early November, including during the November 4 election on new congressional maps.
On Tuesday, Judge Breyer said he was uncertain whether he had the authority to consider California's motion due to the ongoing appeal and indefinitely paused all proceedings related to the state's request. He suggested that California officials could instead file the request with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Trump administration had deployed the National Guard troops as part of a broader law enforcement initiative targeting crime, immigration, and homelessness in Democratic-led cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Baltimore, and New York. President Trump has direct control over the District of Columbia National Guard, which he has also deployed in Washington.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has maintained a stay on Judge Breyer's order, effectively allowing the National Guard deployment to continue while the legal process unfolds.
Attempts to reach the California attorney general's office for comment on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
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