California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom today filed an amicus brief in support of Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield’s request for emergency relief to block President Trump’s illegal federalization of the Oregon National Guard. In federalizing the Oregon National Guard, President Trump relies on the same illegal memorandum he used as the basis to federalize California’s National Guard in early June. Yet, the President does not even attempt to establish that the situation on the ground in Portland meets the requirements of 10 U.S.C. section 12406. Instead, the President and his Administration assert carte blanche to deploy National Guard troops anywhere in the country, for virtually any reason. In the brief, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom argue that immediate court intervention is necessary to prevent the same irreparable harms that have befallen California and to protect other states across the nation from becoming the military’s next “training ground.”

“California continues to stand up and stand against the politicization of our military and their illegal deployment to American streets,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The President himself has said that he wants our military to use cities like Los Angeles and Portland as a ‘training ground.’ Absolutely not. This un-American attempt to leverage the military to intimidate and create fear in our communities must end. I urge the court to put a stop to this dangerous maneuver.”