Congress To Move To Block Trump From Deploying Federal Forces Against Americans

Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 12:05 pm

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A group of legislators in the House and Senate announced that they would be introducing a bill that would block Trump from deploying federal forces against Americans.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) announced in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, “U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), along with U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today announced that they will introduce the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act, which would block the Trump administration from deploying federal forces as a shadowy paramilitary against Americans.”

The bill would:

– Require individual and agency identification on uniforms of officers and prevent unmarked vehicles from being used in arrests.

– Limit federal agents’ crowd control activities to federal property and its immediate vicinity, unless their presence is specifically requested by both the mayor and governor.

– Require disclosure on an agency website within 24 hours of deployments specifying the number of personnel and purposes of deployment.

– Make arrests in violation of these rules unlawful.

While Lindsey Graham supports Trump violating the constitutional rights of Americans, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) announced his opposition to Trump’s actions.

“The Trump Administration’s egregious trampling of individual liberties and the right of free assembly should never have been allowed to happen. Yet it’s clear that the Gestapo-like tactics used in Washington, D.C. and now Portland are likely a dress rehearsal for other communities around the country,” Blumenauer said. “We must block this type of dangerous and undemocratic behavior once and for all.”

The bill will pass the House, and unlike most pieces of legislation in these times, it could also pass the Senate, especially if Trump’s political fortunes continue to fade and Senate Republicans look to distance themselves from the president.

Even if Trump vetoes it, passage through the Congress would represent a crushing rebuke of his unconstitutional actions.

Congress is going to act, but the best way to stop Trump is to elect Joe Biden.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association