California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed an emergency demand with a federal court Tuesday asking for a temporary restraining order to stop President Trump’s troop deployment to Los Angeles, where federal immigration raids have prompted street clashes.
The Democratic governor asked for a ruling by 1 p.m. California time to try to block troops from having the 4,000 federalized National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines in place for yet another day of expected clashes.
Mr. Newsom said in the lawsuit that the deployments are “unlawful.”
He called the demonstrations so far “largely peaceful” and said in the “isolated instances of more significant disturbance,” local police have handled things without problems.
That contradicts the words of Los Angeles’s police chief, who on Sunday said demonstrators had gotten “out of control” on Sunday.
Mr. Newsom says what’s at stake in his lawsuit over the troops is Mr. Trump’s ability to override state governors, who usually control their National Guard troops, on the basis of a flimsy justification.
“The federal government is now turning the military against American citizens. Sending trained warfighters onto the streets is unprecedented and threatens the very core of our democracy,” the Democratic governor said in a statement announcing the emergency request.
He and Mr. Trump have been squaring off over the protests, which erupted after Homeland Security agents and officers attempted to step up immigration arrests late last week and into the weekend.
After demonstrators started blocking and attacking the immigration officers, Homeland Security officials said their calls for help from local police went unheeded for too long.
Mr. Trump said they required federal assistance.
On Saturday, he issued an order calling up 2,000 National Guard troops. He has since increased the number to 4,000, and added 700 Marines.
The law governing guard call-ups says the president can do so when there’s a danger of rebellion or when the president is unable to secure execution of the law.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.