San Francisco officials threaten legal action as Trump eyes National Guard deployment
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to deploy National Guard troops to San Francisco in recent days, claiming the city is overrun with crime and that residents are demanding federal intervention. Local and state officials have responded with vehement opposition, promising immediate legal action if troops arrive and emphasizing that the city neither needs nor wants a military presence on its streets.
Presidential statements
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, October 19, Trump described San Francisco as a city that “went wrong 15 years ago” and became “overly progressive”. He stated, “We’re going to San Francisco and we’re going to make it great again,” and claimed “they want us in San Francisco”. The president has cited crime as justification for considering troop deployment to the city of approximately 830,000 residents.
Trump also mentioned that he could activate the Insurrection Act at any time, a rarely invoked statute that permits the president to deploy military forces domestically under specific circumstances. San Francisco joins a growing list of cities targeted by the administration, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis.
Local and state opposition
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced Tuesday that the city would take legal action if Trump proceeds with deployment. “Should President Trump make good on his ridiculous threats to send the military to San Francisco, our city is prepared—and my office is prepared—to take the necessary legal action to defend San Francisco,” Chiu said in a statement.
“San Francisco is not asking for the National Guard to come here, no matter what he says.”
— California Attorney General Rob Bonta
California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have also pledged to file lawsuits immediately if federal troops are deployed. “We don’t bow to kings, and we’re standing up to this wannabe tyrant,” Newsom stated. Attorney General Bonta emphasized that the state is prepared to “be in court within hours, if not minutes,” should deployment occur.
Mayor Daniel Lurie has emphasized that San Francisco’s law enforcement is fully capable of handling public safety without military assistance. “The National Guard does not have the authority to arrest drug dealers—and sending them to San Francisco will do nothing to get fentanyl off the streets or make our city safer,” Lurie said Monday.
The city’s response
Local officials have challenged Trump’s characterization of San Francisco as crime-ridden, pointing to significant improvements in public safety. Mayor Lurie noted that crime in the city has decreased by 30%, reaching its lowest level in decades. Violent crime rates have dropped to “levels not observed since the 1950s,” and the city has achieved record low numbers of tent encampments.
The San Francisco Police Department has reported positive recruitment trends, with 3,375 entry-level applications this year, marking an increase of over 40% from the previous year. In 2024, San Francisco voters granted police expanded authority to utilize drones, surveillance cameras, and other technology to combat crime.
Mayor Lurie has formed a public safety group to coordinate the city’s response to potential federal intervention. The group includes representatives from the city attorney’s office and other affected department heads, meeting regularly to plan policy responses. Lurie has committed to following policies that prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with immigration enforcement and military operations.
ICE agents announced for San Francisco
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced Monday that ICE agents will be sent to San Francisco under President Trump’s direction. The announcement came as the administration continues efforts to deploy National Guard troops to multiple Democratic-led cities. This dual threat of both ICE agents and potential National Guard deployment has heightened concerns among local officials and residents.
Legal precedent from other cities
San Francisco officials have joined a coalition of more than 100 local officials filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to block Trump’s deployment of federal troops to Chicago. The brief asserts that Trump’s use of the military for domestic law enforcement violates constitutional limits.
Federal judges have issued temporary restraining orders blocking troop deployments in Portland and Chicago, providing legal precedents for San Francisco’s anticipated challenge. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut extended temporary orders barring National Guard deployment to Portland, though a federal appeals court later overturned the lower court’s order on Monday.
Democratic officials across multiple cities have mounted legal resistance to Trump’s deployment efforts, with lawsuits arguing that such actions exceed presidential authority and violate constitutional principles.
The tech industry’s response
The deployment threat gained additional attention when Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff initially expressed support for sending the National Guard to San Francisco before his company’s Dreamforce conference. Benioff later retracted his position, stating, “I now believe that the National Guard is not required for safety in San Francisco”. He apologized for any concern his earlier remarks caused, explaining they stemmed from “a place of caution regarding the event”.
Notable venture capitalist Ron Conway reportedly resigned from the Salesforce Foundation board in response to Benioff’s initial comments, according to the New York Times.
The community’s response
Residents and workers in downtown San Francisco have expressed confusion and concern about Trump’s threats. Retired nurse Libby Baxter voiced worry that Trump might send the National Guard to Democratic cities to incite “chaos and unrest”. “We are a tolerant community but we do not do well with somebody coming and trying to dictate or take over certain parts of our city,” she said.
California state Senator Scott Wiener, representing a district that includes San Francisco, stated on social media: “San Francisco neither needs nor wants Trump’s personal army on our streets. We don’t require Trump’s authoritarian measures in our city. The bottom line: Stay out of San Francisco”.
The San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission has scheduled a special hearing for October 27 to discuss federal immigration enforcement and local response, providing a forum for community members to report what they are seeing and identify opportunities for collaboration.