1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

President Trump's decision to deploy active duty Marines and additional National Guard troops to Los Angeles is a dangerous escalation that threatens to inflame tensions and undermine public safety. These actions are not warranted by the largely peaceful protests occurring in the city. Rather than resorting to a militarized response, we urge de-escalation and dialogue to address the root issues driving the protests over immigration enforcement actions that have torn families apart. Deploying active duty troops for domestic law enforcement runs counter to long-standing principles separating civilian and military authority. The presence of Marines on American streets risks transforming constitutionally protected protests into confrontations with the military. This path inevitably leads to increased risk of violence and violations of citizens' rights. We call on President Trump to immediately stand down the Marine deployment and withdraw the supplemental National Guard forces. The people's right to freely assemble and petition their government should be respected, not met with disproportionate displays of military force on our city streets. Responsible leaders should be working to reduce tensions through open communication and addressing legitimate grievances, not inflaming the situation with troop deployments more suited to a war zone than an American city. The foundations of our democratic society are being eroded by the administration's actions here. We urge a course correction to uphold constitutional principles and restore trust between the people and their government through peaceful resolution, not militarization of our communities.