The National Guard's takeover of Washington was illegal, a U.S. District Court judge ruled Thursday.
But while responsibility for foreign military activities rests with the president, Cobb determined that Trump lacks the necessary authority to federalize law enforcement in American cities, especially in Washington, where Congress reigns supreme.
“The Court rejects Defendants' far-fetched claims of constitutional authority, finding that such a broad interpretation of the President's Article II powers would negate Congress's role in governing the District and its National Guard,” Cobb wrote.
Cobb suspended her decision until Dec. 11 to give the Trump administration time to appeal.
The decision does not bode well for Trump's plans for the rest of the country, which involve using the National Guard to bolster his immigration agenda in Democratic cities. So far, Trump has deployed federal forces to Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and Memphis—all cities where residents have publicly opposed ICE.
This story has been updated.
