Carr Files Brief Defending President Trump’s Response to California Riots

ATLANTA, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today joined 19 other Attorneys General in filing a brief to defend President Donald Trump’s lawful deployment of the National Guard amid violent Los Angeles riots.

“Governor Newsom surrendered L.A. to violent anarchists. President Trump stepped up to enforce the law,” said Carr. “This isn’t difficult – peaceful protesters use words, rioters use violence, and criminals must be held accountable.”

The brief argues that President Trump acted squarely within his constitutional and statutory authority when he called National Guard troops into federal service to protect federal agents, property, and the rule of law, particularly when state and local officials in California failed to act as rioters overran portions of Los Angeles and obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The amicus brief recounts days of escalating chaos in Los Angeles, where federal immigration officers faced violent attacks, ICE buildings were surrounded and defaced, cars were set ablaze, and LAPD officers pleaded for assistance. Despite the lawlessness, California officials sought to block federal action through an emergency lawsuit. The brief forcefully opposes California’s motion, calling it a political maneuver that undermines public safety and the Constitution. 

The coalition underscores that federalism requires a balance, not abandonment. When states surrender control or allow chaos to flourish, the federal government must act to preserve national integrity. 

Joining Carr in filing this brief are the Attorneys General of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, the Territory of Guam, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.  

Find a copy of the brief here .