A federal appeals court has temporarily cleared the way for President Donald Trump to keep the National Guard deployed in Los Angeles, handing the White House a key legal victory amid ongoing unrest and violent anti-ICE protests.
The ruling came late Friday from a three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit, which granted an emergency stay on a lower court order that had demanded the Guard be returned to California state control. That lower ruling, issued by Judge Charles Breyer, claimed the deployment violated the Tenth Amendment and overstepped the president’s authority. The appeals court disagreed—for now—keeping the Guard in place as it prepares for a full hearing next week.
Trump responded swiftly, saying the decision helps “protect federal assets and restore peace in a city under siege.” The administration has argued that California officials had “failed to maintain order,” leaving no choice but to federalize the response.
Roughly 4,000 National Guard members remain active across Los Angeles, alongside a Marine logistics contingent on standby. Their mission: secure federal buildings, shield ICE operations from rioters, and assist law enforcement overwhelmed by sustained violence and property destruction.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass blasted the ruling as an infringement on state sovereignty, accusing Trump of escalating tensions. Legal scholars, meanwhile, are closely watching the case, as it could redefine the limits of presidential authority under the Insurrection Act and the Constitution’s balance of power between state and federal governments.
The appellate panel emphasized that its decision is temporary. A formal hearing is scheduled for early next week, and the case may ultimately reach the Supreme Court.
For now, the Guard stays—and so does Trump’s hardline message: federal protection will not be withdrawn until order is fully restored.