Republican president mobilized troops in cities governed by Democrats, with the argument of fighting crime and reinforcing his campaign against illegal immigrants
A federal judge ordered this Thursday (20) the withdrawal of National Guard troops from Washington, which represents a new setback for its confrontation with Democratic cities and states. Judge Jia Cobb ordered the deployment to end but suspended the order for 21 days to allow the Trump administration to file an appeal. The Republican president mobilized troops in Washington, Los Angeles and Memphis, cities governed by Democrats, with the argument of combating crime and reinforcing his campaign against undocumented immigrants.
Trump has ordered more than 2,000 members of the National Guard to patrol Washington since August 11, after saying the city was “a dirty, crime-infested place.” Brian Schwalb, D.C.’s attorney general, filed a lawsuit in September to end the troop deployment. “Sending the National Guard to participate in law enforcement duties is not only unnecessary and unwanted, it is also dangerous and harmful,” Schwalb said.
In his ruling Thursday, Cobb said the Trump administration had “acted against the law” by deploying troops for “non-military crime deterrence missions in the absence of a request from the city’s civil authorities.” The judge, appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, also said that the federal government had exceeded its authority by bringing in National Guard personnel from other states to patrol the capital.
Trump’s extraordinary use of the National Guard was also challenged in court by California earlier this year, after the president ordered the mobilization of troops in Los Angeles to quell protests sparked by raids on undocumented immigrants.
A federal judge ruled that the measure was illegal, but an appeals court panel allowed the deployment in Los Angeles to continue. Other federal judges have temporarily blocked the deployment of troops to Chicago and Portland, also controlled by Democrats.
The Supreme Court is expected to soon issue a final ruling on whether the president’s actions are legal. Trump has denied accusations that he is strictly targeting cities governed by his political opponents.
*With information from AFP
