A federal court in California ruled Tuesday that President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not have legal authority to send National Guardsmen to Los Angeles for domestic law enforcement, as NPR reported.

“The record is replete with evidence that Task Force 51 executed domestic law in these prohibited ways,” District Judge Charles R. Breyer wrote, referencing the Guard unit operating in L.A.

Breyer delayed implementation of his ruling for 10 days for the administration to appeal.

Chicago Deployment Imminent, Trump Says

Despite the California ruling, Trump indicated he still plans to send the National Guard into Chicago as he has weighed in recent weeks.

“We’re going in,” Trump told reporters without giving a timeline.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, have said a Guard presence would not help improve the city’s crime problem, which continues but is lower than in recent years and is not among the top 20 cities in terms of violent crime.

“We’re going to do it anyway,” Trump said. “We have a right to do it.”

After the White House remarks, Pritzker said a Guard buildup is less about crime prevention than Trump testing his federal powers.

Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Zach Sheely