California Governor Gavin Newsom stated today: “I have just signed into law a new statute prohibiting militia forces from other states from entering California unless explicitly authorized by the governor. California will defend the rights of nearly 40 million residents who call this state home.”
Commentary: Governor Newsom’s enactment of this legislation clearly responds to a prior incident in which President Trump bypassed the California governor and directly deployed National Guard troops into Los Angeles. Having experienced this precedent, California now seeks to establish a legal barrier—through state legislation—requiring explicit approval from the state’s chief executive before any out-of-state militia unit may enter California territory. With a Democratic-led administration in Sacramento, officials are concerned that future administrations, particularly under a potential second Trump term, might invoke public safety or immigration enforcement as grounds to deploy armed personnel from other states into California, thereby undermining state sovereignty. However, this measure remains confined to state-level authority, and the constitutional balance between federal and state powers remains legally ambiguous. Whether such a law can effectively constrain the president’s authority to mobilize the National Guard remains uncertain. This episode reflects broader partisan polarization across the United States, as red and blue states increasingly erect legislative barriers against each other, with local governments attempting to preemptively restrict federal executive actions through statutory means.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876825771991114/
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