1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

I am alarmed by the recent announcement of plans to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago. This action, as confirmed by a Pentagon official, is a clear violation of our Constitution and a threat to our democracy. I remember the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention. This is not a scenario we want to replicate. The use of military forces within our borders without the consent of local authorities requires your immediate attention and action. Mayor Brandon Johnson has rightly called this move unconstitutional. Governor JB Pritzker gave a forceful and compelling speech about what is happening and why. This is not a partisan issue but a crisis of the fundamental principles of our nation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pointed out that this crisis appears manufactured to justify federal overreach. The politicization of law enforcement and the use of our military for domestic purposes is a dangerous path that we must not tread. I implore you to use every tool at your disposal to prevent this unconstitutional use of military force on American soil. This includes: 1. Introducing and supporting legislation that explicitly prohibits the deployment of military forces for domestic law enforcement without proper constitutional authorization. 2. Holding immediate hearings to investigate the legality and motivations behind this planned deployment. 3. Working across party lines to present a united front against this overreach of executive power. To incentivize red state officers of Congress, demand that any militarized response be based on crime statistics and not the administration's desire to repress dissent (note that 8 of the 10 cities with the highest homicide rates are red states with Republican governors). The consequences of inaction are severe. We must address any issues of crime and public safety through constitutional means that respect local governance and civil rights- and apply those solutions equally across all of our United States. I urge you to act swiftly and decisively to protect our constitutional rights and the integrity of our democratic institutions.