This is a summary of major lawsuits filed by California (Governor Newsom) against the Trump administration.

On June 9, California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for federalizing the National Guard (700 Marines deployed) without consent to respond to anti-ICE protests in the LA area, citing violations of the Tenth Amendment, 10 U.S.C. § 252 (rebellion and insurrection response), and Posse Comitatus Act.

• Key Arguments:

  1. The LA protests did not reach the level of 'insurrection' and were manageable by the LAPD.

  2. Federalizing the Guard without the governor's consent is unconstitutional.

  3. Deploying Marines is an illegal action that exceeds normal security measures nypost.com+8en.wikipedia.org+8theguardian.com+8.

• Judicial Flow:

  • On June 12, Federal Judge Breyer issued a TRO (temporary restraining order) and ordered the return of control to the governor time.com.

  • However, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily stayed this, with additional hearings scheduled for June 17 ft.com.

This case is a core issue of federal-state authority conflicts in the U.S., specifically regarding "meeting federalization requirements + the governor's consent," and the violation of the Posse Comitatus Act is also a hotly debated topic, triggering unprecedented conflicts.

Clean Vehicle and Air Pollution Regulation Repeal Lawsuit

On June 12, Governor Newsom and AG Bonta filed a lawsuit against Trump for unconstitutionally and unlawfully revoking the California's 2035 gasoline vehicle sales ban policy through congressional action ("Congressional Review Act, CRA") that was intentionally pushed by Trump, claiming it was an unconstitutional and ultra vires executive order.

• Key Issues:

  • These waivers are traditionally not subject to CRA and were areas where federal challenges are impossible.

  • California had independent regulatory authority considering the automotive industry's preparation time.

  • Newsom strongly responded, calling it a "political outrage to dismantle air regulation authority" gov.ca.goven.wikipedia.org.

This lawsuit is a legal front to protect regulatory measures essential for the implementation of the state government's environmental policy, which includes a complete ban on new engine vehicles starting in 2035.

EV Charging Infrastructure Budget Hold Lawsuit

After approximately $300M of the billions allocated for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Biden's infrastructure bill was frozen by Trump's executive order (on the first day), California, along with 15 other Democratic states, filed a lawsuit claiming it was an "obstruction of climate and job policies".

• This lawsuit intertwines issues of climate leadership, federal fund usability, and protection of state authority, significantly impacting environmental policies.

4. Other Ongoing Lawsuits

• California filed a total of 16 lawsuits during the first 100 days of Trump's administration.

  • For example: 'birthright citizenship', education budget cuts, reduction of federal welfare funds, etc.

• California also filed a lawsuit together with labor and health organizations against administrative orders related to ESG/DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) such as San Francisco AIDS Foundation v. Trump.

Since the second term of former President Trump, California has been implementing a strong and organized legal counter-strategy.

• Upholding constitutional and institutional principles:

  • Efforts to maintain the basic framework of the U.S., including the deployment of federal troops, interference with state authority, and laws limiting military service.

• Maintaining environmental and climate leadership:

  • Demonstrating clear policy differences between the state and federal levels through clean vehicle regulations and securing charging infrastructure budgets.

• Preparing for ongoing legal responses:

  • Secured millions of dollars in budget to build a 'prepared front' for legal battles.

  • Responding with a common frame of 'Trump's executive orders as abuse of power' across various policy areas.

Outlook

• On June 17, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear

• the progress of the EV and Clean Air lawsuits.

• And the developments of lawsuits related to environmental budgets and DEI.

These three pillars will determine the future course of the California vs Trump battle.

It may take several months for a final ruling, and California is establishing important benchmarks through this legal response to confirm the limits of state government authority and the autonomy of environmental policies in the U.S.