1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep alarm over the recent statements by Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, regarding President Trump's supposed "plenary authority" to deploy National Guard troops to U.S. cities. This claim is not only false but represents a dangerous misinterpretation of presidential power that threatens the very foundations of our constitutional republic. The notion of "plenary authority" implies absolute power, a concept entirely at odds with our system of checks and balances. Such unlimited authority is reminiscent of autocratic regimes, not a democratic nation founded on the principle of limited government. The administration's attempt to bypass legal challenges and deploy federal troops to cities, particularly in light of a federal judge's recent block on troop deployment to Portland, Oregon, is a clear overreach of executive power. Miller's invocation of Title 10 of the U.S. Code as justification for these actions is a willful misconstruing of the law. As Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, has explained, Title 10 authority has specific limitations and does not grant the power to override the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of military forces for domestic law enforcement. The administration's appeal to the Ninth Circuit and the deployment of Texas National Guard soldiers to a facility outside Chicago demonstrate a clear intent to pursue this unconstitutional course of action. This is not about public safety; it is a blatant attempt to intimidate and potentially harm American citizens in cities that do not align with the president's political views. I urge you to take immediate action to protect our constitutional system. Stephen Miller must be removed from his position for promoting this dangerous misinterpretation of presidential authority. Furthermore, I strongly advocate for the initiation of impeachment proceedings against President Trump for his brazen disregard of the Constitution and the violent threat his actions pose to the American people. The stakes could not be higher. We must act now to prevent the erosion of our democratic institutions and the transformation of our presidency into an autocratic regime. It is your constitutional duty to oppose this power grab and protect the rights and safety of all Americans.