California argues against Trump's use of troops against L.A. demonstrators

California's Attorney General Rob Bonta.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed confidence that the state's legal team presented the best argument that Donald Trump's use of the US Marines and the California National Guard in Los Angeles was illegal.

“Before the trial began, I issued a statement  August 13 expressing confidence that the evidence would show that the Trump Administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act. Now that the trial has ended, I remain confident. Our legal team did a great job,” said the Filipino American attorney general in a press statement.

“We asked the court to grant a permanent injunction to stop the Administration from using the military for domestic law enforcement and maintaining a standing army in Southern California. We made a compelling case — backed by facts and specifics — and we look forward to getting a decision in the near future.”

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The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits members of the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement activities. During the three-day trial, California showed that, in its orders to the federalized California National Guard and Marines, the Trump Administration violated the three applicable tests under the Act: 

• The Trump Administration is making direct, active use of military personnel to execute the law, including through the provision of armed perimeter support and blockades, apprehension and detention of civilians, and — in the weeks following the June mobilization orders — participating in an estimated three out of every four immigration raids in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

• The Trump Administration’s use of military personnel clearly pervades the activities of civilian law enforcement.

• Under the Trump Administration’s command, federalized National Guard members have subjected civilians to the exercise of proscriptive military power

Last Spring, up to 4,000 federal troops and National Guard members were sent to Los Angeles, ostensibly to quell the so-called "riots." Around 300 National Guard members remain.

In his first term (2017-2021), California filed 123 lawsuits against the Trump administration.In the first six months of his second term, which began in January 2025, Bonta representing California has filed 37 lawsuits against the Trump administration and filed more than 40 amicus briefs in support of other litigation, including defending birthright citizenship, banning diversity initiatives in government agencies, implementation of tariffs, cuts in federal funding to schools and mass firings at federal agencies 

California has had a high success rate in these early cases, succeeding in 17 of the 19 cases where the state sought and a district court ruled on early relief, with 13 orders blocking Trump's actions still in effect. California's litigation efforts have also led to the restoration of an estimated $168 billion in federal funding and the protection of an estimated $11.1 billion in federal grant funding.

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