SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Los Angeles field office director for the Department of Homeland Security testified on Monday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers desperately needed the help of military personnel in carrying out arrests. The question is whether President Donald Trump 's deployment of armed forces goes against U.S. law that generally prohibits the president from using the military to police domestic affairs.
Ernesto Santacruz Jr. testified at the start of a three-day trial in San Francisco over whether Trump’s administration violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act when it deployed National Guard soldiers and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles following June protests over immigration raids. The administration has argued federal military are allowed to protect federal property and federal agents.
Santacruz said before the deployment, he received multiple reports daily of attacks on his officers.
After the deployment, he said, “We still had officer assault situations, but they did reduce drastically.”
Trump has pushed the bounds of typical military activity on domestic soil, including through the creation of militarized zones along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Monday, the president said he was deploying the National Guard across Washington, D.C., and taking over the city’s police department in hopes of reducing crime, even as the mayor has noted crime is falling in the nation’s capital.
The trial could set precedent for how Trump can deploy the guard in the future in California or other states.
The Trump administration federalized California National Guard members and sent them to the second-largest U.S. city over the objections of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and city leaders after protests erupted June 7 when ICE officers arrested people at multiple locations.
The Department of Defense ordered the deployment of roughly 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles. Most of the troops have since left but 250 National Guard members remain, according to the latest figures provided by the Pentagon.
California is asking Judge Charles Breyer to order the Trump administration to return control of the remaining troops to the state and to stop the federal government from using military troops in California “to execute or assist in the execution of federal law or any civilian law enforcement functions by any federal agent or officer.”
Trump federalized members of the California National Guard under a law that allows the president to call the National Guard into federal service when the country “is invaded,” when “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government,” or when the president is otherwise unable “to execute the laws of the United States.”
Breyer found the protests in Los Angeles “fall far short of ‘rebellion.’”
Witnesses called by the state of California testified Monday as to what the deployed forces could and could not do.
Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman said personnel were authorized, in certain situations, to carry out some law enforcement actions, such as setting up a security perimeter outside of federal facilities and detaining civilians for police arrest.
Breyer, who was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, appeared skeptical of the federal government's arguments.
Breyer handed Newsom an early victory when the judge found the Trump administration violated the Constitution’s 10th Amendment, which defines power between federal and state governments, and exceeded its authority.
The Trump administration immediately appealed, arguing that courts can’t second guess the president’s decisions. It secured a temporary halt allowing control of the California National Guard to stay in federal hands as the lawsuit unfolds.
After their deployment, the guard members accompanied federal immigration officers on raids in Los Angeles and at two marijuana farm sites in Ventura County while Marines mostly stood guard around a federal building in downtown Los Angeles that includes a detention center at the core of protests.
Since June, federal agents have rounded up immigrants without legal status to be in the U.S. from Home Depots, car washes, bus stops, and farms. Some U.S. citizens have also been detained.
FILE - California National Guard members are positioned at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, on June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)
HINWIL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 16, 2026--
Audi Revolut F1 Team today announced a multi-year partnership with Nexo, the leading digital assets platform. The strategic partnership sees Nexo become the team’s inaugural official digital asset partner, placing Nexo’s next-generation digital tools on a global stage.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260116368670/en/
The partnership marks a pivotal moment for both organisations as Audi Revolut F1 Team enters Formula 1 and Nexo accelerates its growth as a premium digital asset platform. Ambitious and performance-driven, both brands are aligned around a shared trajectory of innovation and disciplined execution, underpinned by a common engineering mindset and a focus on performance at the highest level.
Over the course of the partnership, Nexo will activate globally through premium experiences and digital-first engagement. Exclusive opportunities designed to bring fans and Nexo clients closer to Audi Revolut F1 Team will include exclusive access, co-created content and education, and next-generation immersive brand experiences.
Stefano Battiston, Chief Commercial Officer of Audi Revolut F1 Team: “Today, we are proud to welcome Nexo as our official digital asset partner at a moment of strong growth for both organisations. The partnership reflects a shared ambition to scale with discipline and innovation, and to create tangible value — from exclusive experiences to new ways of engaging our global fanbase and Nexo’s clients.”
Antoni Trenchev, Co-founder, Nexo: “Nexo was built for a demanding reality: instant, self-directed, and always on. Partnering with Audi Revolut F1 Team at the start of their new era is a statement about how we see the future. As the team’s official digital asset partner, we will bring meaningful utility and premium experiences to a global audience, grounded in the same discipline and precision that defines success in motor sports.”
About Nexo
Nexo is a premier digital assets wealth platform designed to empower clients to grow, manage, and preserve their crypto holdings. Our mission is to lead the next generation of wealth creation by focusing on customer success and delivering tailored solutions that build enduring value, supported by 24/7 client care.
Since 2018, Nexo has provided unmatched opportunities to forward-thinking clients in over 150 jurisdictions. With over $11 billion in AUM and over $371 billion processed, we bring lasting value to millions worldwide. Our all-in-one platform combines advanced technology with a client-first approach, offering high-yield flexible and fixed-term savings, crypto-backed loans, sophisticated trading tools, and liquidity solutions, including the first crypto debit/credit card. Built on deep industry expertise, a sustainable business model, robust infrastructure, stringent security, and global licensing, Nexo champions innovation and long-lasting prosperity.
Official website: nexo.com
About Audi Revolut F1 Team
Audi Revolut F1 Team is the official factory team of Audi, as the brand enters the FIA Formula 1 World Championship for the first time in 2026. This project, in which Audi will create its own hybrid drive system ('power unit') developed in Germany, represents the ultimate expression of the manufacturer's ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ philosophy and embodies a long-term commitment to compete at the pinnacle of motorsport with the clear objective of challenging for world championships by 2030. Audi Revolut F1 Team is based in three locations: the power unit is developed by Audi Formula Racing GmbH at the Audi Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg, Germany; the chassis is engineered and race operations are managed from the state-of-the-art facilities of Audi Motorsport AG in Hinwil, Switzerland; while the Audi Motorsport Technology Centre UK in Bicester, United Kingdom, provides a foothold in the heart of 'Motorsport Valley', with direct access to top F1 talent and key strategic partners. This integrated structure provides complete control over the project, embedding a culture of precision, innovation, and relentless performance. Audi’s entry is strategically timed to coincide with new Formula 1 regulations focused on increased electrification, as the electric share of the hybrid drive is raised to almost 50%, and the introduction of 100% sustainable fuels. The entry into Formula 1, one of the most important platforms in the world, serves as a high-tech catalyst for the entire Audi brand, acting as a global stage to demonstrate technological leadership and connect with new, diverse audiences by creating cultural impact that resonates far beyond the race track.
Audi Revolut F1 Team Welcomes Nexo as Official Digital Asset Partner
