The District of Columbia filed suit Thursday seeking to block President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in the nation's capital, escalating a legal fight over federal authority in the city.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argued in the federal lawsuit that the influx of more than 1,000 troops amounts to an "involuntary military occupation" and violates the law. The deployment coincided with Trump's Aug. 11 executive order authorizing the surge, which Schwalb contends is an unlawful use of the military for domestic law enforcement.
"A federal judge in California recently ruled that Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles after days of protests over immigration raids in June was illegal," Schwalb noted in his filing.
That ruling is under appeal, and Trump has signaled he is ready to send troops into Chicago and Baltimore despite fierce opposition in those Democrat-led cities. The decision in California does not directly apply to Washington, where the president has greater authority over the Guard than in states.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new lawsuit. A Guard official confirmed members of the D.C. National Guard have had their orders extended through December, a move that strongly suggests the mission will continue for months even if troop numbers fluctuate. Several Republican-led states have also sent Guard units to patrol the capital, further swelling the ranks.
Schwalb's suit argues the operation violates the Home Rule Act of 1973, signed by President Richard Nixon, because Trump acted without the mayor's consent and has improperly asserted federal control over Guard units from outside D.C. Schwalb, an elected official who serves as the city's top lawyer, is separate from the federally appointed U.S. attorney. The case is the second he has brought against the Trump administration since the president asserted control over the Metropolitan Police Department and ordered the Guard into the city, sparking protests from some residents.
Trump has defended the deployment, saying it is needed to fight crime in Washington. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has noted a steep decline in carjackings and other offenses since the intervention began. Violent crime has long plagued the capital, but data showed it was already trending downward when the president's operation was launched.
This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.