California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced his lawsuit against the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles to contain the riots over the immigration raids that broke out this past weekend.
Bonta accused President Donald Trump of violating the tenth amendment and federal law for deploying the National Guard without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s consent.
“As a result, I, in partnership with Governor Gavin Newsom, am suing President Trump and asking the court to set aside the President’s unlawful action, federalizing the California National Guard with this order, Bonta said.
Bonta described Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard as “unnecessary” and “counterproductive.”
“Let me be clear: There is no invasion,” Bonta said in a statement. “There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President’s authority under the law, and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order.”
Newsom teased the lawsuit Sunday evening, saying, “[Trump is] putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard — an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act. We’re going to test that theory with a lawsuit tomorrow.”
The lawsuit reads: “President Trump’s unprecedented order attempts to usurp state authority and resources via 10 U.S.C. § 12406, a statute that has been invoked on its own only once before in modern history and for highly unusual circumstances — when President Richard Nixon called upon the National Guard to deliver the mail during the 1970 Postal Service Strike.”
Protests over ICE raids began on Friday, leading Trump to call for the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to the city. The first 300 arrived on Sunday. There are also 500 Marines who are “prepared to deploy” to the city.
In a press conference, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blamed the Trump administration for being the cause of civil unrest and violence in the city.
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“Our city was peaceful before the raids took place,” Bass said during the press conference.
A total of 56 people have been arrested for their involvement in the protests.