1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to publicly oppose President Trump's threatened use of the Insurrection Act and to ensure that Ohio's National Guard will not be deployed to assist federal immigration enforcement operations that target civilians. The Pentagon has ordered approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the Army's 11th Airborne Division in Alaska to prepare for potential deployment to Minnesota. This preparation is directly linked to Trump's threat to invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act, which would authorize active-duty troops for domestic law enforcement. On social media, Trump stated he would invoke this rarely-used law "if the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E." This represents a dangerous escalation. The Insurrection Act was last invoked in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush during the Los Angeles unrest following the Rodney King verdict. Using military force against Americans exercising their constitutional rights to protest sets a precedent that threatens the civil liberties of all citizens, including Ohioans. The situation in Minnesota involves protests following an ICE agent's fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on January 17, 2026, in Minneapolis. Rather than addressing legitimate concerns about federal overreach and use of force, the administration is threatening to deploy combat troops specialized in arctic operations against American civilians. I am asking you to take three specific actions. First, issue a public statement condemning any use of active-duty military forces for domestic immigration enforcement. Second, commit that Ohio's National Guard will remain under state control and will not be federalized or deployed to assist ICE operations in other states. Third, work with colleagues to introduce or support legislation that would restrict the president's ability to invoke the Insurrection Act without congressional oversight. Our military exists to protect Americans from foreign threats, not to be weaponized against citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. Ohio's service members should not be placed in the position of policing their fellow Americans.