A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s deployment of California’s National Guard to Los Angeles and called the move illegal.

The judge’s order to return control of the troops to California Governor Gavin Newsom will not go into effect immediately and the administration has filed an appeal.

The state sued President Donald Trump on Monday over his order to deploy the troops without Gov Newsom’s consent.

Trump said he was sending the troops - who are typically under the governor’s authority - to stop LA from “burning down” in protests against his immigration crackdown. Local authorities have argued they have the situation in hand and do not need troops.

Judge Charles Breyer said the question presented by California’s request was whether Trump followed the law set by Congress on the deployment of a state’s National Guard.

“He did not,” the judge wrote in his decision. “His actions were illegal… He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.”

Gov Newsom posted on social media after the order was filed that “the court just confirmed what we all know — the military belongs on the battlefield, not on our city streets”.

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