A U.S. judge has ordered a halt to the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., following a federal court ruling on Thursday that deemed the action, spearheaded by President Donald Trump, unlawful. The judge, Gia Cobb, has stayed the execution of her order to halt the deployment of thousands of National Guard members for a period of 21 days, granting the President time to file an appeal.
Judge Cobb stated that the Trump administration acted unlawfully by deploying the National Guard “to perform non-military tasks and deter crime without a request from the city’s civil authorities.” She further added that the administration exceeded its authority by bringing in National Guard troops from outside the state to patrol the capital. Judge Cobb was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden.
President Trump had previously ordered the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Memphis – all considered Democratic strongholds – to combat crime and assist in his campaign against illegal immigration. Federal judges have temporarily blocked the deployment of troops in Chicago and Portland, also Democratic strongholds.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of these actions soon. Trump ordered approximately 2,300 National Guard members to patrol Washington on August 11, citing the city as a “filthy, crime-ridden disgrace.”
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit aimed at ending the deployment of the National Guard to address crime in the city. Schwalb argued that deploying the National Guard for law enforcement purposes is unnecessary and undesirable, and that it exposes the area and its residents to danger and harm.
Earlier, California authorities filed a complaint against Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles to suppress protests triggered by a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. A court ruled the presidential decision unlawful, but an appellate panel allowed the National Guard deployment in Los Angeles to proceed.
President Trump has denied targeting cities that are strongholds of his political rivals in his campaign to combat crime and illegal immigration.
