A U.S. federal court judge in Southern California ruled on Thursday that the U.S. military's ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips in Riverside said she would issue an injunction barring the government from enforcing the policy soon.

She said contrary to what many supporters have argued, the policy did not preserve military readiness.

The "don't ask, don't tell" policy in fact had a "direct and deleterious effect" on the military, she said.