1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to you as a concerned constituent to urge immediate, serious action in response to the alarming use of federal force, militarized immigration enforcement, and the stated intent by the Trump administration to potentially deploy active-duty military under the Insurrection Act in Minnesota. The situation as it currently stands not only undermines civil liberties but poses a dangerous precedent for federal overreach and the suppression of dissent in this country. Recent events in Minneapolis and across Minnesota have escalated swiftly. Thousands of federal agents, including ICE officers, have been deployed as part of a federal immigration enforcement operation, which local authorities and civil rights groups have criticized as aggressive and chaotic. A U.S. citizen, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a protest, an incident that sparked widespread demonstrations and outrage. Reports have also documented tear gas and other crowd-control measures used in civilian areas, leading to serious injuries, including to children. Amid these protests, President Trump has publicly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 (a law that would permit him to deploy U.S. military forces on domestic soil to “suppress” unrest) unless state officials “stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists.” This rhetoric has already prompted active-duty troops and the Minnesota National Guard to be placed on alert, and DOJ actions appear to include investigations into state and local leaders who have criticized federal operations. This situation raises grave constitutional and democratic concerns: • Militarized enforcement of domestic policy should be an absolute last resort, and only under narrow, clearly defined circumstances. The Insurrection Act was intended for extreme conditions when civilian authorities are genuinely unable to maintain law and order, not to respond to protests against federal policy or the consequences of federal force. • Threatening to use active-duty military to punish or suppress protestors undermines the First Amendment right to peaceful assembly and risks equating lawful protest with insurrection. • The deployment of federal agents and the use of lethal force by those agents, especially when directed at U.S. citizens, must be thoroughly investigated, with accountability and transparency at every level. • Local leaders and governors should not be intimidated or criminalized for representing the interests and safety of their constituents. I urge you to take immediate action, including: 1. Condemning any inappropriate or excessive use of federal force against civilians. 2. Opposing any attempt to invoke the Insurrection Act absent truly extraordinary circumstances that meet constitutional and legal standards. 3. Supporting congressional oversight, investigations, and hearings into the recent actions of federal enforcement agencies and the executive branch’s decision-making. 4. Advocating for protections for peaceful protestors and civil liberties, including clear rules restricting militarized response to protests. We cannot allow the normalization of using armed military forces against civilians engaged in lawful protest. The health of our democracy depends on protecting civil liberties, holding federal actors accountable, and ensuring that grievances are addressed through legal and peaceful means, not suppression. Thank you for your time and attention on this pressing matter. I look forward to your response and leadership.