California Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed support for a lawsuit filed by District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, which challenges the Trump Administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in U.S. cities.
In a statement released Thursday, Bonta said, “President Trump is illegally seeking to use the military to police our people. It’s unnecessary, undemocratic, and most importantly, unlawful,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As a judge in California recently affirmed, the President’s power is not boundless, and the military may not act as the President’s personal police force. When troops arrived in Los Angeles in early June, we knew this was likely the beginning — not the end — of the military occupation of American cities. This dangerous moment requires all of us to stand up, speak out, and hold the President and his Administration accountable to laws and democratic values he swore to uphold. California is proud to stand with D.C. in this fight.”
The lawsuit argues that federal actions exceeded presidential authority and raise concerns about using military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes.
