The ruling means control of the California National Guard will stay in federal hands as the lawsuit continues to unfold.

The unanimous order from a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit is a victory for the president and allows for the continued deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, where they have been protecting federal property and U.S. immigration agents during enforcement operations.

A federal appeals court has overturned an earlier ruling that found the President’s mobilization of the troops was “illegal.”