'Dangerous and harmful': DC sues US admin over National Guard deployment as Trump prepares to send troops to Chicago
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Dangerous and harmful': DC sues US admin over National Guard deployment as Trump prepares to send troops to Chicago")
DC sues US administration over National Guard deployment Photograph: (AFP)
DC has sued the Trump admin, alleging unconstitutional National Guard deployment without consent, harming city’s autonomy, economy, and public trust
Washington, DC, has taken the Trump administration to the court, accusing it of breaching the Constitution and federal law by stationing thousands of National Guard members in the city without local approval. The complaint, submitted on Thursday (September 4) by DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb, alleges that many of the Guard members—brought in from other states—were placed under the authority of the US Marshals Service and are now patrolling neighborhoods, conducting searches, and making arrests. Federal law generally restricts the military from performing civilian police functions.
According to the filing, the move undermines DC’s right to self-governance, damages trust between residents and law enforcement, and harms local businesses by deterring visitors. “Turning the National Guard into a domestic police force is not only unnecessary and unwelcome, it is harmful to the District and dangerous for its people,” Schwalb said. “If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere. We’re going to court to stop this unlawful intrusion by the federal government.”
Trump announced the deployment on August 11 as part of his crime-fighting push in the capital, which has also involved sending in additional federal agents and attempting to assert control over DC’s police department. Since then, Guard troops—including units from six Republican-led states—have been armed and placed on city streets. By Tuesday, 2,290 members were assigned to the mission, with 1,340 coming from outside jurisdictions.
The lawsuit argues that DC has suffered “grave and irreparable harm” to its sovereign rights. “No American community should be forced into military occupation,” the filing reads. “The District seeks a court order to halt these illegal actions, repair the damage caused, and safeguard its autonomy.”
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