California Attorney General Bonta Stands with D.C. Residents Against National Guard Deployment

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a multistate amicus brief supporting a lawsuit by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb that challenges the federalization and deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., without the mayor's consent.

The brief, filed on Tuesday, argues that the continued presence of these troops is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic. Bonta cited California's own experience last year, when the Trump administration deployed California National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the governor's approval.

That deployment was successfully challenged in court, leading to multiple orders blocking the use of the Guard as a national police force. However, thousands of troops remain in D.C.

Bonta stated, 'President Trump continues to abuse his power to deploy troops on the streets of our nation’s capital. We the people, as protected by the Constitution, will not bow down to President Trump’s tyranny.' The brief highlights the harm caused by a continuous military presence, including stoking fear among residents, damaging trust in local law enforcement, and costing taxpayers $111 million in Los Angeles.

The coalition argues that using the military for local law enforcement upsets the constitutional balance between civilian and military authority, infringes on state police powers, and diverts troops from essential functions like fighting wildfires and fentanyl interdiction. Bonta previously supported similar lawsuits in Illinois, Oregon, and D.C.