1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I urge you to take immediate action to ensure our military cannot be misused as a domestic police force. This is a vital step in protecting our democracy and upholding a long-standing American principle: that the military should not be used against our own people. It is essential that Congress close loopholes in the Posse Comitatus Act that a future president could exploit. I strongly support the following reforms: Transfer control of the D.C. National Guard from the president to the District of Columbia’s mayor; Clarify that governors may not deploy National Guard units into other states or territories without the consent of those jurisdictions; Ensure that when the National Guard is federalized, the president remains bound by the general legal rule prohibiting the use of federal troops as a domestic police force. For over two centuries, this principle has helped preserve civil liberties and maintain public trust in our democratic institutions. We must not allow it to erode under any circumstances.