1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

The President of the United States is threatening to deploy federal military power against American civilians in Minnesota. This comes amid ongoing protests triggered by the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman, Renee Nicole Good, by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent — an incident that has drawn widespread outrage and sparked protests over federal immigration enforcement tactics. Unlike the protesters exercising their First Amendment rights, who have largely been peaceful while calling for accountability and justice, the federal response — including immigration agents sent by the administration — has led to serious harm, prompting legal limits on how federal agents may interact with demonstrators. Threatening to use the Insurrection Act against civilians for engaging in protected protest is deeply dangerous and unprecedented in modern U.S. politics. One of the key protections of our democratic system has long been the prohibition on using the military as a political instrument against people at home. Deploying troops domestically to suppress lawful dissent is something we have historically associated with authoritarian regimes, not the constitutional republic the Founders established. If the President chooses to pursue this course, it should be treated as the serious constitutional emergency that it is. We need concrete, meaningful legislative and political action — not just strongly worded statements or social media reactions. If Congress treats this as business as usual, it sets a dangerous precedent that undermines civil liberties and the rule of law. We cannot allow the military or federal forces to be used to intimidate or suppress peaceful protest. It’s essential to defend the constitutional rights of all Americans and hold any overreach accountable.