California sues Trump over national guard use in ICE protests

California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of illegally seizing control of the state’s National Guard to suppress protests against federal immigration raids.

According Reuters, the legal action follows Trump’s weekend memorandum that federalized 2,000 California National Guard troops for two months.

It could be recalled that troops were deployed amid escalating protests and violent clashes in Los Angeles, sparked by a wave of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across the city.

Newsom described Trump’s actions as a “direct assault on state sovereignty” and warned that such federal overreach threatens all states.

“We’re suing him,” Newsom declared during a press briefing. “He has no right to hijack California’s Guard to crush peaceful protests.”

California Attorney General Robert Bonta backed the governor, calling Trump’s order “unnecessary and counterproductive.”

Bonta labeled the move an “abuse of power,” noting that Guard members are trained to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, not political unrest.

The governor’s lawsuit argues that the president’s action bypasses constitutional limits by weaponizing military force against U.S. citizens without state approval.

White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson responded with sharp criticism, accusing Newsom of allowing lawlessness to flourish in Los Angeles.

“Governor Newsom is directly responsible for the violent riots and attacks on police,” Jackson said.

“Instead of wasting taxpayer money on baseless lawsuits, he should focus on restoring order.”

Despite growing tensions, Newsom did not hold back.

He branded Trump “unhinged” in a televised interview and slammed the White House cabinet as “a band of misfits.”

He warned the federal crackdown is “just the beginning” of broader political repression.

Newsom publicly dared Trump’s border enforcement chief, Tom Homan, to arrest him on live TV, mocking threats of legal action against Democratic governors who oppose ICE tactics.

Support for Newsom’s lawsuit is mounting.

Democratic Governors Laura Kelly of Kansas and Andy Beshear of Kentucky condemned Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops without consent, calling it “a dangerous abuse of federal power.”

Meanwhile, the streets of Los Angeles remain tense.

Police declared downtown an unlawful assembly zone after protesters set vehicles ablaze and shut down major freeways. Over 100 arrests have been made so far.

President Trump defended the National Guard mobilization, claiming it prevented Los Angeles from being “completely obliterated.”

The legal showdown now brewing between Newsom and Trump could redefine federal power in civil protests and reignite the national debate on immigration and states’ rights.

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