Mayor Bass Issues Statement Following Federal Court Ruling that Trump Administration's Deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles was Illegal

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass today issued the following statement in response to a federal court rulingfinding that the Trump Administration's deployment of National Guard members and Marines in Los Angeles was illegal.

"Today, the federal court ruled in favor of the people of Los Angeles," said Mayor Karen Bass. "The White House tried to invade the second largest city in the country. That was illegal. Los Angeles will not buckle and we will not break. We will not be divided and we will not be defeated."

Though the Trump Administration is likely to appeal, the ruling clearly states that the administration broke federal law: "Congress spoke clearly in 1878 when it passed the Posse Comitatus Act, prohibiting the use of the U.S. military to execute domestic law. Nearly 140 years later, Defendants-President Trump, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and the Department of Defense-deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, ostensibly to quell a rebellion and ensure that federal immigration law was enforced. There were indeed protests in Los Angeles, and some individuals engaged in violence. Yet there was no rebellion, nor was civilian law enforcement unable to respond to the protests and enforce the law. Nevertheless, at Defendants' orders and contrary to Congress's explicit instruction, federal troops executed the laws… In short, Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act."

Read the full ruling here.

Mayor Bass has been fighting to defend L.A. families since the Trump Administration first began its reckless immigration raids and federalized the National Guard in Los Angeles this summer. In July, she announced that the City joined a lawsuit to put a stop to the unconstitutional raids. Federal judges have ruled that it is unlawful to racially profile and target specific workplaces. Mayor Bass also signed an executive directiveto support Los Angeles' immigrant communities, including:

• Requiring all departments to bolster protocols and training in compliance with the City's law prohibiting use of City resources in immigration enforcement and deliver preparedness plans.

• Establishing a working group with LAPD, Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, immigrant rights organizations and community leaders to gather feedback in order to inform additional guidance for police officers when responding to immigration enforcement activities.

• Seeking key records from the federal government relating to the unlawful raids.

• Expanding access to resources from City Departments to immigrant families by leveraging each department's designated Immigrant Affairs Liaison.