California Gov. Gavin Newsom suing Trump administration over National Guard deployment
AG Bonta says the state's sovereignty was "trampled" by Trump when he ordered the National Guard to the immigration protests in LA
LOS ANGELES -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state is suing the Trump administration, claiming President Donald Trump illegally federalized the National Guard to confront protesters in Los Angeles.
The clashes between protesters and law enforcement "is exactly what Donald Trump wanted," Newsom wrote on social media Monday morning.
"He flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard," Newsom said. "The order he signed doesn't just apply to CA. It will allow him to go into ANY STATE and do the same thing. We're suing him."
California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state's sovereignty was "trampled" by President Donald Trump when he ordered National Guard troops to the immigration protests in Los Angeles.
Bonta spoke Monday as he announced plans to sue the Trump administration.
VIDEO: AG holds news conference on National Guard deployed to LA
He said the state will seek a court order declaring that Trump's use of the Guard was unlawful and ask for a restraining order to halt the deployment.
Bonta said the suit will be filed later Monday.
"The president is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President's authority under the law - and not one we take lightly. We're asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order," he said.
Bonta said Trump's actions were unnecessary and an "infringement" on the governor's authority. He said on Sunday he spoke with local law enforcement leaders in Los Angeles who said they "had what they needed" to control the situation.
The attorney general told reporters in a virtual press conference that this was the first time the guard has been deployed without a governor's permission since 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson activated troops during civil rights demonstrations in Alabama.
Roughly 300 California National Guard members arrived in Los Angeles over the weekend as immigration protests intensified.
RELATED: Immigration protests intensify in Los Angeles after Trump deploys hundreds of National Guard troops
Trump said he had authorized 2,000 members to deploy if needed. The president is also leaving the possibility of sending the Marines open.
During these demonstrations, at least three officers have been injured and more than 50 people arrested.
ABC7 News Bay Area reporter Monica Madden, ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
