California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing the president of unlawfully federalizing the state’s national guard to address immigration protests in Los Angeles. The state argues that Trump’s deployment of troops was unconstitutional and a violation of state authority, overriding objections from Governor Gavin Newsom and local law enforcement. The legal action seeks to declare the deployment unlawful and obtain a restraining order to halt the use of guard troops for protest management.

Democratic officials contend that local law enforcement was effectively handling the protests until Trump’s intervention, which they believe exacerbated tensions. California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, criticized the rapid escalation by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, bypassing established protocols and inflaming the situation unnecessarily.

Newsom accused Trump of intentionally causing chaos and aiming for a civil conflict, urging protesters not to play into the administration’s desire for violence. The lawsuit alleges that Hegseth acted unlawfully by ordering the national guard into federal service without the governor’s consent.

This legal battle highlights a clash between state and federal authority, with California challenging what it sees as an overreach by the Trump administration. The situation echoes historical instances of federal intervention in states, raising concerns about the balance of power and the potential for further escalation.