(LOS ANGELES) — The legal battle over the Trump administration’s deployment of the National Guard in California heads to a federal appeals court on Tuesday.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will preside over a remote hearing regarding California’s challenge to President Donald Trump’s federalization of the state’s National Guard troops amid protests over immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area.
Last week, a federal judge in California issued a temporary restraining order that would have blocked Trump’s deployment of the troops and returned control of the California National Guard to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who did not consent to the Guard’s activation.
However, following an appeal by the Trump administration, a panel of three judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an administrative stay of the lower court’s order, dealing the Trump administration a temporary reprieve to what would have been a major reversal of its policy on the protests in Los Angeles.
The three-judge panel — made up of two judges nominated by Trump and one nominated by former President Joe Biden — scheduled the hearing on the matter for Tuesday afternoon.
The district judge’s order called Trump’s actions “illegal.”
“At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not,” U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said in his June 12 order granting the temporary restraining order sought by Newsom. “His actions were illegal — both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.”
The order did not limit Trump’s use of the Marines, which had also been deployed to LA.
In a press conference after the district court’s order, Newsom said he was “gratified” by the ruling, saying he would return the National Guard “to what they were doing before Donald Trump commandeered them.”
In its appeal to the Ninth Circuit, administration lawyers called the district judge’s order “unprecedented” and an “extraordinary intrusion on the President’s constitutional authority as Commander in Chief.”
Some 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines were ordered to the Los Angeles area following protests over immigration raids. California leaders claim Trump inflamed the protests by sending in the military when it was not necessary.
(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) — A temporary restraining order on President Donald Trump barring foreign Harvard University students from entering the U.S. will remain in effect until next Monday while a federal judge considers arguments made for a preliminary injunction.
The temporary block was due to expire on Thursday before being extended Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs.
Harvard’s lawyers argued Trump’s proclamation violates its First Amendment rights and is outside the authority of the executive branch. Listing the actions taken by the government against Harvard in recent weeks, attorney Ian Gershengorn argued in a court hearing Monday in Boston that the move was retaliation and viewpoint discrimination against the institution.
Gershengorn argued the president is not restricting entry, but instead limiting what you do and who you associate with after you enter. The permissible way to classify a class of aliens is based on the character of the alien, he argued.
The government pushed back, arguing the administration does not “trust” Harvard and that it did not monitor the “aliens” that it brought into the U.S. The government said bringing in foreigners is a privilege not a right, according to Tiberius Davis, counsel to the assistant attorney general.
“We don’t trust Harvard to vet, host, monitor or discipline” foreigners, Davis argued. Davis also raised concerns about Harvard’s “foreign entanglements” with the Chinese government and said it did not provide sufficient information to the government on foreign students — which Harvard has denied.
Harvard University filed the lawsuit against the government after U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced it was canceling Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which would bar the school from enrolling foreign students.
The suit was later amended to include the proclamation and Harvard moved to request a second block on Trump’s proclamation. That would have gone into effect for at least six months before it was blocked by Burroughs.
The judge questioned arguments made by the government over its concerns about Harvard that motivated the proclamation.
“I can’t imagine that anything that you just described applies only to Harvard,” Burroughs said.
Davis argued the government is free to investigate other institutions and said that “a lot of these other universities are willing to” do more to address issues on campus.
Davis also argued that different government agencies chose to terminate grants with Harvard because they believed the institution was not following the law, saying that move was not retaliation either. Davis also said Harvard is not being singled out with grant terminations because other institutions have suffered the same.
The government argued it is not singling out Harvard, but rather other institutions have been more willing to take action to address issues on campus, while Harvard has not, Davis said.
“There’s a lack of evidence of retaliation here,” Davis said in court.
Burroughs said if the point is to root out antisemitism, “Why aren’t we letting in people from Israel?”
Davis argued antisemitism was just one part of the issue, along with foreign entanglements and not providing sufficient information to the government. Because of their other conduct on campus and their inattentiveness to it “we don’t trust them,” Davis said.
“They don’t have to pull over everybody who’s speeding. Frankly they can’t do that,” Davis said.
Pushing back on arguments that it did not monitor its students, Harvard said it is the government’s responsibility to vet students being allowed into the country.
“The vetting is done by the State Department in their visa process,” Gershengorn said.
At one point in the Monday hearing, the judge asked Harvard’s attorneys why it did not name the president in its lawsuit, asking if he needed to appear in this case.
Gershengorn said it sued the people who are tasked with implementing the proclamation.
Gershengorn argued Trump’s usage of the proclamation to block entry of foreign Harvard students is a “vast new authority to regulate the domestic conduct of domestic institutions,” a departure from how this proclamation has been used in the past. Gershengorn said it has been used to block the entry of individuals or nationals of a country that have “done something bad.”
The question is not whether the action is lawful or not, Gershengorn argued. If lawful action is taken as a First Amendment-motivated action, it is no longer lawful, he added.
Gershengorn said what Harvard has suffered over the last two months is probably the most “irregular” and “improper” action any institution has suffered.
Harvard pushed back against claims there is widespread violence on campus, saying the story the government cites identified two incidents of violence on the basis of religion. The government is “throwing things at the wall to see what sticks,” Gershengorn said.
Harvard has alleged that the administration is in an “escalating campaign of retaliation” against the school. After Harvard publicly refused to comply with demands made by the Trump administration, the administration responded by freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to the school.
(GREEN ISLE, Minn.) — The man suspected of shooting and killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband as well as shooting and wounding a second lawmaker and his wife “stalked his victims like prey” and “shot them in cold blood,” acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said.
“His crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Thompson said at a news conference as he outlined the “chilling” details.
Boelter, who was arrested overnight near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, is facing federal charges and state charges, including first-degree murder, officials said.
Boelter allegedly surveilled his victims’ homes and took notes, Thompson said.
Two other lawmakers were spared that night, Thompson revealed as he outlined the four homes that Boelter allegedly drove to early Saturday.
Boelter allegedly first drove to Hoffman’s home in Champlin, Minnesota, in a black SUV with emergency lights turned on and a license plate that said “police,” Thompson said.
Hoffman’s “chilling” security camera footage showed the suspect in a black tactical vest, body armor and a “hyper-realistic silicon mask,” Thompson said. Armed with a flashlight and a 9 mm Beretta handgun, Boelter allegedly knocked on the front door and repeatedly shouted, “This is the police, open the door!” Thompson said.
When Sen. Hoffman and his wife came to the door, the suspect shined the flashlight in their faces, said there was a shooting reported in the house and asked if the couple had weapons, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans shouted, “You’re not a cop!” Thompson said, and then the suspect announced that “this is a robbery” and he forced his way into the home.
When Sen. Hoffman tried to push the suspect out of the house, Boelter shot him and his wife, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans’ daughter called 911, Thompson said.
At 2:24 a.m., Boelter allegedly drove to a state representative’s house in Maple Grove, Thompson said. That lawmaker was not home as she and her family were on vacation, Thompson said, and Boelter left the scene.
Around 3:35 a.m., when officers arrived at the Hortmans’ house, they saw an SUV “with police-style lights” in the driveway and “immediately saw Defendant, still dressed as a police officer, shoot an adult man … through the open door of the home,” according to court records.
The gunman engaged in a shootout with responders and then fled the scene on foot, authorities said.
The officers who confronted the suspect likely prevented other shootings, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
A target list was recovered from the suspect’s car outside the Hortmans’ house with a list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Hoffman, Hortman, Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.
The shootings sparked a massive, two-day manhunt that included 20 SWAT teams, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, authorities said.
Boelter was armed when he was taken into custody late Sunday in a rural area, authorities said, but he was taken into custody without incident.
ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine and Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.
An exterior view of Manhattan Criminal Court on December 23, 2024 in New York City. Adam Gray/Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — Two court security officers were stabbed while screening people at the metal detectors at the Manhattan criminal courthouse on Monday morning, according to a state courts spokesperson.
One court officer was slashed in the face and the other was slashed in the neck, according to law enforcement sources. Both were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, sources said.
“Several Court Officers immediately rushed to stop the assailant, subduing him near a bank of magnetometers, disarming him, and taking him into custody,” state courts spokesperson Al Baker said in a statement.
Baker described the incident, which was caught on surveillance video, as an apparent “targeted attack.”
(NEW YORK) — All 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., and four U.S. territories have agreed to sign a $7.4 billion settlement with the company and once-prominent family behind OxyContin, officials announced Monday.
The settlement resolves pending litigation against Purdue Pharma, which, under the leadership of the Sackler families, invented, manufactured and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, according to the lawsuits. States and cities across the country said it fueled waves of addiction and overdose deaths.
The attorneys general in 55 states and territories have signed on to the historic settlement, which they said will end the Sacklers’ ownership of Purdue and bar them from making, selling or marketing opioids in the U.S.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia led the team that negotiated the settlement, which marks the largest of its kind involving the opioid crisis, officials said.
“As Pennsylvania families and communities suffered during an unprecedented addiction crisis, Purdue and the Sacklers reaped the mammoth profits from their products,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement. “This monumental settlement achieves the top priority of getting as much money as quickly as possible to prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across the Commonwealth. My office will continue engagement with municipal leaders to ensure millions of dollars reach every corner of the state.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(WHEELING, W.Va.) — The death toll in West Virginia has climbed to six after heavy rains and devastating flash flooding struck the state, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
Two people are unaccounted for, according to the governor’s office, and a state of emergency is in effect.
Flash flooding occurred throughout the city of Wheeling and the towns of Triadelphia and Valley Grove. Roughly 3 to 4 inches of rain fell in the area in a short period of time, prompting significant flash flooding along US 40 (National Road), Middle Wheeling Creek, Little Wheeling Creek and various runs and streams through Ohio County.
On Sunday, a residential building in the city of Fairmont, in Marion County, partially collapsed, prompting the emergency declaration, according to the governor.
Footage from the scene showed water rushing out of the severely damaged structure as emergency crews responded to the scene.
“As flash floods continue throughout North Central West Virginia, emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse,” Morrisey said in his emergency declaration.
“State resources are being dispatched to the region immediately. Please — stay off the roads. Do not underestimate the strength and speed of these floods. Pray for our friends and neighbors during this challenging time for our state.”
There have been no hospitalization for injuries due to the collapse and an emergency shelter for those who were living in the apartment building has been set up in the Falcon Center on the Fairmont State campus, according to ABC Clarksburg, West Virginia, affiliate, WBOY-TV.
Multiple cars in the apartment parking lot were also totaled, the outlet reported.
Morrisey mobilized the National Guard to support local emergency operations.
ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
(GREEN ISLE, Minn.) — The man suspected of shooting and killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband as well as shooting and wounding a second lawmaker and his wife is in federal custody and is expected to face federal charges, multiple sources told ABC News.
Authorities are expected to announce the federal charges against 57-year-old Vance Boelter at a news conference on Monday.
Boelter, who was arrested overnight near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, is expected to appear in state court on Monday to face two charges of murder and two charges of attempted murder, according to court documents. He’s also due in federal court on Monday, sources said.
Early Saturday morning, the gunman knocked on the Hoffmans’ door in Champlin, Minnesota, identified himself as a police officer and then went in the house and shot the couple, according to court documents.
After the Hoffmans were shot, officers proactively went to the home of his fellow lawmaker, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman, in the nearby town of Brooklyn Park.
Around 3:35 a.m., when officers arrived at the Hortmans’ house, they saw an SUV “with police-style lights” in the driveway and “immediately saw Defendant, still dressed as a police officer, shoot an adult man … through the open door of the home,” according to court records.
The gunman engaged in a shootout with responders and then fled the scene on foot, authorities said.
The officers who confronted the suspect likely prevented other shootings, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
A target list was recovered from the suspect’s car outside the Hortmans’ house with a list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Hoffman, Hortman, Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.
The shootings sparked a massive, two-day manhunt that included 20 SWAT teams, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, authorities said.
Boelter was armed when he was taken into custody late Sunday in a rural area, authorities said, but he was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators are looking to see if anyone helped Boelter but are confident he worked alone, Evans said.
A motive remains under investigation.
ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine and Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.
Michele Jokinen, Minnesota House Public Information Services
(CHAMMPLIN, Minn.) — Two days after a man in a mask knocked on their door, identified himself as a police officer and opened fire on them, Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, are recovering and “both incredibly lucky to be alive,” their family said.
“We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation,” the family said in a statement obtained by ABC News.
Early Saturday morning, the gunman knocked on the Hoffmans’ door in Champlin, Minnesota, identified himself as a police officer and then went in the house and shot the couple, according to court documents.
At 2:05 a.m., the Hoffmans’ child called 911 to report their parents had been shot, according to court documents.
John Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette was shot eight times, Yvette said, according to a message released by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Vance Boelter, who was arrested early Monday, is accused of shooting and wounding the Hoffmans and then shooting and killing Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.
After the Hoffmans were shot, officers proactively went to Hortman’s house in the nearby town of Brooklyn Park.
“When officers arrived at approximately 3:35 a.m., they saw the Ford SUV with police-style lights and immediately saw Defendant, still dressed as a police officer, shoot an adult man … through the open door of the home,” according to court records.
“We are devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark, and our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved them both,” the Hoffmans said in their statement.
“There is never a place for senseless political violence and loss of life,” they said.
The Hoffmans also said they had “deep and profound” gratitude for the work of law enforcement officials who tracked down the suspect.
Boelter has been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, with the second set of charges related to the shooting at the Hoffmans’ house. He’s due in court on Monday.
ABC News’ Darren Rynolds and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.
(HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn) — The massive search for the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, one fatally, concluded on Sunday evening when he was arrested by police, officials confirmed.
Vance Boelter, 57, was arrested near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota. He was booked into Hennepin County Jail at about 1 a.m. on Monday, according to online records.
Vance was spotted on a trail via camera earlier Sunday and then taken into custody, police said during a press conference.
Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger said when police closed in on Boelter in the woods, he surrendered without incident.
“The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest at that point in time,” Geiger said.
After his arrest, Boelter was taken to an undisclosed police facility where he is being interviewed, officials said.
Boelter is accused of the fatal shootings of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and a separate shooting attack on Sen. John Hoffman and his spouse.
During a press conference on Sunday night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz condemned the killing of Rep. Hortman, saying, “One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota.” The governor thanked law enforcement partners for their role in the suspect’s capture, saying, “This is a great example of coordination and collaboration.”
Police noted it was the “largest manhunt in Minnesota state history,” with Boelter’s capture coming 43 hours after the shootings occurred.
The twin attacks in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on Saturday led to the discovery in the suspect’s vehicle of an alleged target list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources.
During a press conference Sunday evening, police said a hat believed to be associated with the suspect was found near his alleged vehicle. There were several items of evidence relevant to the ongoing investigation found in the vehicle outside of the alleged target list, police added.
The discovery of the hat is what led authorities to believe Boelter was in the area.
Police said that Boelter had been in contact with individuals, but were trying to determine if he was receiving any assistance while on the run from law enforcement. “All options are on the table,” said Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said earlier Sunday.
The FBI was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest.
There was a nationwide warrant for Boelter’s arrest on a state level and a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, police said Sunday.
Boelter is suspected of gaining entry to the lawmakers’ homes by disguising himself as a police officer, even arriving at the victims’ home in a vehicle that looked like a police cruiser equipped with flashing emergency lights, officials said.
The shootings unfolded around 2 a.m. Saturday, when Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times at their home in Champlin, Minnesota, authorities said.
Soon after the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home, state Rep. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, according to authorities.
Police believe the suspect opened fire on the victims while wearing a latex mask, sources said.
Following the shooting at Hoffman’s residence, officers were sent to Hortman’s home to check on her well-being, officials said. As officers arrived at the residence, they encountered the gunman at around 3:35 a.m. The suspect and the officers exchanged gunfire before the suspect escaped, flee on foot and leaving behind his fake police car, where investigators found his target list, authorities said.
Court records filed in Hennepin County, Minnesota, say that Hoffman’s child was the one who initially made the call that their parents had been shot.
Two associates of Sen. Hoffman and his wife told ABC News on Sunday that the couple was awake and out of surgery.
Yvette Hoffman is conscious and “doing relatively well,” and John Hoffman is alert and recovering from a collapsed lung, the associates said. One source estimates that Sen. Hoffman was shot multiple times.
“Everybody is cautiously optimistic,” one of the sources said.
Boelter – a husband and father, according to an online biography – has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history.
Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website.
The suspect’s wife was detained for questioning after a traffic stop near Onamia late on Saturday morning, multiple law enforcement sources told Minnesota ABC News affiliate KSTP. She was released without being arrested, according to KTSP, which reports it’s unknown why her vehicle was stopped.
ABC News’ Josh Margolin, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, Jack Moore, Luke Barr and Mike Levine contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
A massive search continued Sunday for a man suspected in the fatal shooting of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and a separate shooting attack on another state lawmaker and his spouse, authorities said.
The manhunt for 57-year-old Vance Boelter stretched into its second day following Saturday’s twin attacks in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and the discovery in the suspect’s vehicle of an alleged target list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest.
“Right now we are asking the public if you do locate him, if you see him, to call 911. Do not approach him. You should consider him armed and dangerous,” Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said at a Saturday-evening news conference.
Sources tell ABC News that authorities searching for Boelter have found a “vehicle of interest” in Sibley County, outside Minneapolis, along with “personal items” believed to be associated with him. There are now many teams of law enforcement officials searching the area, sources said.
The suspect’s wife was detained for questioning after a traffic stop near Onamia late on Saturday morning, multiple law enforcement sources told Minnesota ABC News affiliate KSTP. She was released without being arrested, according to KTSP, which reports it’s unknown why her vehicle was stopped.
Boelter is suspected of gaining entry to the lawmakers’ homes by disguising himself as a police officer, even arriving at the victims’ home in a vehicle that looked like a police cruiser equipped with flashing emergency lights, officials said.
The shootings unfolded around 2 a.m. Saturday, when Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times at their home in Champlin, Minnesota, authorities said.
Soon after the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home, state Rep. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, according to authorities.
Police believe the suspect opened fire on the victims while wearing a latex mask, sources said.
Following the shooting at Hoffman’s residence, officers were sent to Hortman’s home to check on her well-being, officials said. As officers arrived at the residence, they encountered the gunman at around 3:35 a.m. The suspect and the officers exchanged gunfire before the suspect escaped, flee on foot and leaving behind his fake police car, where investigators found his target list, authorities said.
Two associates of Sen. Hoffman and his wife told ABC News on Sunday that the couple was awake and out of surgery.
Yvette Hoffman is conscious and “doing relatively well,” and John Hoffman is alert and recovering from a collapsed lung, the associates said. One source estimates that Sen. Hoffman was shot multiple times.
“Everybody is cautiously optimistic,” one of the sources said.
Boelter – a husband and father, according to an online biography – has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history.
Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website.
ABC News’ Josh Margolin, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, Jack Moore, Luke Barr and Mike Levine contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
