Former national security leaders filed an amicus brief in Illinois v. Trump before the United States Supreme Court, expressing concerns that the attempted National Guard deployment to Chicago risks violating the Posse Comitatus Act and politicizing the military.
Washington, DC — Nine former service secretaries and retired four-star admirals and generals—including members of Count Every Hero—filed an amicus brief in Illinois v. Trump before the United States Supreme Court, warning the Court of the risks posed by a potential domestic deployment to the public and to the military. The brief was filed in response to the federal government asking the Supreme Court to stay a lower court’s order temporarily prohibiting the federal deployment of the National Guard to Chicago.
In the brief, these leaders highlight the statutory restrictions on the use of the military in a domestic law enforcement capacity created by the Posse Comitatus Act. The brief highlights the risk that a deployment of this nature risks violating the Posse Comitatus Act while diverting troops from their primary mission to domestic law enforcement, for which they lack sufficient training.
The retired national security leaders urge domestic deployments of the National Guard to only be considered as a last resort – to minimize the risk of politicization and to avoid adding the military to a politically fraught situation.
Read the full amicus brief here.