President Donald Trump sidestepped state power over the weekend by activating a rarely used federal authority to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell protests over his immigration policies. 

Trump cited Title 10, a federal law that outlines the role of the U.S. Armed Forces, to bypass Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) handling of the situation. Title 10 allows the president to put National Guard troops under federal command under three conditions: If the United States is invaded or faces a threat of invasion, if there’s a rebellion against federal authority, or if the president is unable to enforce federal laws using regular forces.