President Trump deployed the California National Guard and other federal troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. This action marks the first time that the National Guard has been deployed without a governor’s permission since 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the National Guard to protect civil rights protestors in Selma, Alabama. 

CREW has requested communications between any employees of the CA Army National Guard and other components of the DOD from January 20, 2025 to June 12, 2025. CREW has also requested DOJ Office of Legal Counsel memos, communications and other records regarding the president’s authority to deploy the National Guard troops.

The Trump administration has consistently pushed the limits of presidential authority, and the use of the military in response to these protests is no exception. Given the extraordinary nature of the deployment and the rapid escalation, the American public has significant interests in knowing whether the administration complied with the law, including the Office of Legal Counsel’s interpretation of the law, and the scope of authority of the deployed members of CA Army National Guard. Any communicated skepticism about the legality of their deployment or scope of their authority should be made public.

FOIA requests

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