- “The Trump Administration continues to far exceed the outer bounds of presidential power, blasting through legal guardrails and shattering democratic norms.” – Rob Bonta, California Attorney General
by Vanguard Staff
OAKLAND, CA – California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom filed an amicus brief Tuesday in federal court supporting Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s request for a temporary restraining order to block President Donald Trump’s attempt to federalize the Illinois National Guard and deploy federalized troops from Texas into Chicago.
The brief, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, warns that the actions represent an unprecedented federal intrusion into state sovereignty and a direct violation of constitutional principles that keep the military out of civilian affairs.
California’s top officials argue that Trump’s decision mirrors the earlier federalization of California’s National Guard in June 2025, which they describe as unlawful and deeply damaging to the state. According to the filing, the unauthorized deployment of troops caused “continuous irreparable harm” to California’s communities, economy, and National Guard morale, and violated the state’s sovereign rights under the Tenth Amendment.
“The Trump Administration continues to far exceed the outer bounds of presidential power, blasting through legal guardrails and shattering democratic norms,” Bonta said. “California communities have no desire to see their streets turned into a training ground for the military. Neither do our friends in D.C., Illinois, and Oregon. I urge the court to see this political gamesmanship for what it is — and put an immediate stop to it before it goes any further.”
“Trump is going on a cross-country crusade to sow chaos and division,” Newsom said. “His actions — and those of his cabinet — are against our deeply-held American values. He needs to stop this illegal charade now.”
In the filing, California and Newsom describe their experience as a cautionary tale for Illinois, detailing how federalized National Guard troops were deployed across Southern California to perform civilian law enforcement activities without the governor’s consent. The deployment, they said, undermined state police powers, increased community tensions, and harmed local economies.
The amicus brief outlines five categories of harm: loss of state sovereignty, infringement of police powers, escalation of community unrest, economic disruption, and declining troop morale. California’s brief emphasizes that these injuries are “irreparable” and “impossible to monetarily redress.”
The state’s lawyers cite multiple incidents from Los Angeles, including “Operation Excalibur,” a Department of Homeland Security operation in MacArthur Park where federalized National Guard troops, Humvees, and tactical vehicles were deployed to “demonstrate the capacity and freedom of maneuver” of federal forces. Officials described the operation as an unlawful show of force that violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits military involvement in civilian law enforcement.
California also submitted evidence of economic harm, noting that business activity in downtown Los Angeles dropped sharply following the military deployment. The brief cites a study showing a 3.1 percent decline in private sector employment in June and a 4.9 percent decline in July, coinciding with the deployment period.
Beyond economic fallout, the state described emotional and social damage. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass compared the militarized presence to “a city under siege,” while veterans’ advocates warned of plummeting troop morale as National Guard members questioned their role policing their own communities.
According to the filing, “the morale of National Guard troops and their families is depleted when troops are deployed as a police force on the streets of their own communities,” adding that such strain “further threatens the readiness” of the Guard for legitimate state missions like disaster response.
California’s experience, the brief argues, demonstrates that even a small number of federalized troops can inflame tensions, disrupt civilian governance, and cause long-term harm. “Whether the troops number in handfuls, hundreds, or thousands,” the filing states, “their presence inflames tensions in communities when residents perceive an unwanted, militarized police force in their community.”
The motion, unopposed by any party, asks the court to consider California’s “lived experience” in assessing Illinois’ request for immediate relief before a hearing scheduled for October 9.
The brief concludes that the federalization of the Illinois National Guard is “a dangerous, unprecedented, and unlawful experiment in militarized law enforcement” and urges the court to issue an injunction restoring control to the state.
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Why are Newsom and Bonta interfering in another state’s affairs?
Anyone can file an amicus brief.
I find it funny because they squawk when others interfere in California.
You can file an amicus brief, anyone can. In major cases there are literally hundreds of them. They also have no standing, they are literally expressing a legal opinion. If you are going to call someone out, at least understand procedurally how this works (and how it doesn’t).