WASHINGTON, Nov 8
A US district judge on Friday blocked President-elect Donald Trump’s directive to deploy National Guard troops in several cities facing large-scale immigration protests, ruling that the move violated constitutional limits on executive authority and federal-state relations.
Judge Katherine Polson of the US District Court for the District of Columbia called the order “an extraordinary overreach inconsistent with civilian control and due process.” The ruling came hours before the first troops were set to mobilize under Trump’s directive, which aimed to “restore public order” following demonstrations against his proposed immigration executive actions.
“Even the President-elect is bound by constitutional safeguards,” Judge Polson wrote in her 42-page opinion, emphasizing that only state governors may activate Guard units absent federal authorization under the Insurrection Act.
The Justice Department is expected to appeal the decision, but legal experts say the ruling will likely delay any troop movements until at least next week. The case marks the first major legal test of Trump’s transition powers ahead of his January inauguration.
Protests intensify nationwide
Protesters in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City continued overnight demonstrations, demanding immigration protections and denouncing “militarized policing.” Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, hailed the court’s intervention as a “vital check against executive overreach.”
“We will not allow the use of military force to silence dissent,” said ACLU attorney Maria Ruiz.
Political fallout and next steps
Trump’s campaign team criticized the decision as “judicial interference in national security matters,” insisting the deployment was temporary and aimed solely at ensuring safety during “unlawful gatherings.”
Legal analysts warn the episode could set the tone for Trump’s early confrontations with the judiciary, echoing the travel ban controversies of his previous term.
