California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation on Saturday that prohibits military personnel from other states from entering California to perform military or law enforcement duties without the governor's explicit permission.

Senate Bill 1354, authored by state Sen. Bob Archuleta (D), targets Title 32 National Guard deployments in which troops remain under state command. The measure makes unauthorized entry a crime punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, up to one year in county jail, or both. It specifically preserves an exception for personnel acting under presidential or Defense Department authority but closes what supporters say was a legal loophole that could have allowed other states to deploy their military under Title 32, even at the president’s urging.

Newsom described the law as a defense of state sovereignty amid tensions with the Trump administration over prior military deployments in California, most notably in Los Angeles during 2025. The bill is intended to respond to concerns about out-of-state forces entering without state consent.

In an X post announcing the legislation's signing, Newsom said that President Donald Trump "has treated the National Guard as his political weapon" and that "California has seen enough."

As mentioned previously, this legislation does not apply to troops federalize by the White House.

Critics view the measure as an unnecessary assertion of state power that could complicate national security cooperation and federal-state relations. They argue it does not, as its supporters say, meaningfully safeguard California or state control over its borders and public safety operations but actually poses future problems for the state in emergencies.

Detractors point out that, since the legislation doesn’t apply to troops deployed by the president or the Defense Department but instead targets personnel from other states and territories, it only serves to make it harder for other states to send aid or troops to assist California in the event of natural disasters or other state emergencies.

Senate Bill 1354 took effect immediately upon its signing on Saturday.

This is one of many California's actions stemming from political clashes with President Donald Trump and his administration during his second term. Disagreements over National Guard deployments are one item in a list of issues that leaders of the heavily blue state have fought the federal government over. With midterms approaching and Democrats seeking congressional gains, the partisan clashes between parties are expected to continue.