U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer has ruled that President Donald J. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated federal law, specifically the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, by deploying federalized National Guardsmen and Marines to Los Angeles, California, in June.

“The evidence at trial showed that Defendants systematically used armed soldiers—often unidentifiable due to protective gear—and military vehicles to establish perimeters, set up traffic blockades, conduct crowd control, and project a military presence throughout Los Angeles. In short, Defendants violated the Posse Comitatus Act,” Breyer stated. He further noted that the deployment amounted to the creation of a “national police force with the president as its chief.”

As part of his ruling, Judge Breyer issued an order barring U.S. troops from participating in security patrols, riot control, arrests, searches, or crowd control nationwide, effective September 12.