U.S. DISTRICT COURT ORDERS TRUMP TO RELINQUISH TROOPS AND REMOVE THEM FROM L.A.: APPEAL QUICKLY FILED

"On June 6, 2025, the federal government initiated immigration raids across the City of Los Angeles. Protests swiftly followed, and some individuals involved in those protests were unruly and even violent. State and local law enforcement responded. 

The following day, President Trump ordered that members of the California National Guard be federalized, and thereupon assumed control of those forces. At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. 

He did not. His actions were illegal – both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith."

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

ORDER

June 12, 2025

 Defendants (President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth) no doubt have an “interest in protecting federal agents and property.”

But they have no legitimate interest in doing so beyond the bounds of their authority. Federal agents and property may actually well be served by de-militarization and a concurring de-escalation of the situation. Regardless, Plaintiffs and the citizens of Los Angeles face a greater harm from the continued unlawful militarization of their city, which not only inflames tensions with protesters, threatening increased hostilities and loss of life, but deprives the state for two months of its own use of thousands of National Guard members to fight fires, combat the fentanyl trade, and perform other critical functions. 

As discussed above, Defendants’ actions also threaten to chill legitimate First Amendment expression.

Accordingly, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs have demonstrated that the balance of equities tips in their favor and that an injunction restraining the President’s use of military force in Los Angeles is in the public interest.

IV. CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order.

• Defendants are temporarily ENJOINED from deploying members of the California National Guard in Los Angeles.

• Defendants are DIRECTED to return control of the California National Guard to Governor Newsom.

• The Court further STAYS this order until noon on June 13, 2025.

• Plaintiffs are ORDERED to post a nominal bond of $100 within 24 hours. The bond shall be filed in the Clerk’s Office and be deposited into the registry of the Court. If said bond is not posted by the aforementioned date and time, this Order shall be dissolved.

• Defendants are further ORDERED TO SHOW CAUSE why a preliminary injunction should not issue. A hearing on this order to show cause will be held on June 20, 2025 at 10 a.m. Plaintiffs’ moving papers shall be filed no later than June 16, 2025; Defendants’ opposition shall be due no later than June 18, 2025, and Plaintiffs’ reply shall be due on June 19, 2025.

Signed June 12, 2025.