WASHINGTON – A U.S. federal judge ruled on Thursday that the Pentagon’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. was illegal.
What we know:
Judge Jia M. Cobb ruled on Thursday that the National Guard’s deployment was illegal, but stayed the effect of her order until December 11. This will give the Trump administration time to appeal the order, during which the National Guard will remain in D.C.
What they’re saying:
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb released the following statement:
“From the beginning, we made clear that the U.S. military should not be policing American citizens on American soil.
Normalizing the use of military troops for domestic law enforcement sets a dangerous precedent, where the President can disregard states’ independence and deploy troops wherever and whenever he wants – with no check on his military power.
This unprecedented federal overreach is not normal, or legal.
It is long past time to let the National Guard go home – to their everyday lives, their regular jobs, their families, and their children.”
The backstory:
Last month, the Office of the Attorney General in D.C. opened a lawsuit against the federal government, saying that the deployment of the National Guard on the streets of D.C. was unlawful, and that it’s causing irreparable harm in the city.
READ MORE: DC suing federal government to have National Guard leave the city
The National Guard deployment is expected to last potentially until summer 2026, when the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary. The current deployment is supposed to end at the end of November, but military officials have told the out-of-state troops to prepare for winter.
The National Guard was first deployed in D.C. in August after Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital.
The guardsmen and women have been deputized as special deputy U.S. Marshals. The D.C. OAG says federal law prohibits the military from being involved in civilian law enforcement and calls the National Guard presence in D.C. a threat to public safety.
The Source: Information in this story is from court documents and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.
