California AG sues Trump after sovereignty 'trampled' by National Guard
Trump, Newsom trade threats, insults and lawsuits over National Guard deployment
Amid the ongoing ICE protests in Los Angeles, President Trump and Governor Newsom have escalated their war of words. President Trump has endorsed the idea of arresting Newsom if he interferes with federal enforcement, and Newsom is now suing the administration over "trampling on the sovereignty" of the state.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday sued the Trump administration in two separate lawsuits, after he said the state’s sovereignty was "trampled" when the president ordered National Guard troops to the immigration protests in Los Angeles.
This marks 22 lawsuits the state of California has filed against the Trump administration to date.
Suing Trump again
The first suit comes after Trump called for Gov. Gavin Newsom's arrest, after Newsom objected to the president sending in the federalized National Guard being deployed to LA to quell anti-ICE protests over the weekend which "needlessly escalated chaos and violence."
Bonta said the lawsuit, which names President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense, outlines why the takeover violates the U.S. Constitution and exceeds the president’s Title 10 authority, not only because the takeover occurred without the consent or input of the governor, as federal law requires, but also because it was unwarranted.
"Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion," Bonta said. "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."
Under the California Constitution, Bonta said that Newsom is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard.
Bonta also named a second lawsuit against the Trump administration, where he was joined by attorneys general in Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island, and in spirit with 20 attorneys general across the United States.
This suit involves what Bonta calls Trump "unlawfully imposing immigration enforcement requirements" on billions of dollars in annual U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants.
"The president doesn't have the authority to coerce state and local governments into using their resources for immigration enforcement," Bonta said. "This is a blatantly illegal attempt to bully states into enacting Trump's inhumane and illogical immigration agenda. Once again, Trump's actions go beyond the scope of his presidential power."
Trump disagrees
Of course, Trump and his administration see things differently.
Speaking from the White House, Trump blasted Newsom personally.
"I think his primary crime is running for governor, done such a bad job, it’s like what Biden did to this country," Trump said.
And Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, told Fox and Friends that ICE agents are making America safer.
"Our men and women of ICE made LA safer," Homan said in the interview. "But you’re not hearing that. All you’re hearing is rhetoric of ICE being terrorists and ICE being Nazis, and Governor Newsom feeds that."
Legal effort
Jessica Levinson, law professor at Loyoa Marymount University, said it remains to be seen what the courts decide on California's lawsuits.
In terms of the "sovereignity" suit, she said that the federal statute does provide the president with a broad grant of authority.
"The president is able to make a determination if there’s a rebellion or danger of rebellion," she said. "We know this is a president who has shown he’s broadly embracing his power and that he’s pushing the limits of executive authority, and we don’t’ what the next chapter will be."