President Donald Trump is exploring another avenue to send military troops onto Chicago streets: invoking the Insurrection Act. The 218-year-old law grants broad powers to activate troops within US borders to quell rebellions and enforce laws, leaving room for interpretation by the president.
Trump has expressed interest in using this power, citing instances of violence and courts holding him up. However, Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois and Attorney General Kwame Raoul are fighting against his attempt to deploy the National Guard, which a federal judge temporarily blocked. Trump has appealed that ruling to the US Supreme Court.
The Insurrection Act was signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807, with some statutes dating back to George Washington's second term. The law gives presidents power to deploy the military without congressional approval in response to "unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States."
Experts warn that invoking this law could set a dangerous precedent, blurring the line between domestic law enforcement and military intervention. Professor Dan Maurer notes that this is the easiest way for Trump to deploy troops on the streets, but it's also a power that has not been used in decades.
In recent history, only three presidents have invoked the Insurrection Act: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump himself, in 1992. That last invocation was in response to civil unrest following the Rodney King beating acquittal in Los Angeles. A significant gap of 33 years has passed since then.
Critics like Maurer stress that this law is a fundamental departure from Posse Comitatus, an 1878 act barring military involvement in domestic policing. By invoking the Insurrection Act, Trump would be asserting significant authority over how the nation responds to perceived threats.
"The American military policing our own people? That's not fine in our country," says Maurer. "This is one of those areas where the president is likely to have a tremendous amount of deference in determining what is an insurrection and therefore when to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the National Guard."
The use of this law would mark a significant shift in norms, sparking concerns about how the US military might be deployed domestically.
Trump has expressed interest in using this power, citing instances of violence and courts holding him up. However, Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois and Attorney General Kwame Raoul are fighting against his attempt to deploy the National Guard, which a federal judge temporarily blocked. Trump has appealed that ruling to the US Supreme Court.
The Insurrection Act was signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807, with some statutes dating back to George Washington's second term. The law gives presidents power to deploy the military without congressional approval in response to "unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States."
Experts warn that invoking this law could set a dangerous precedent, blurring the line between domestic law enforcement and military intervention. Professor Dan Maurer notes that this is the easiest way for Trump to deploy troops on the streets, but it's also a power that has not been used in decades.
In recent history, only three presidents have invoked the Insurrection Act: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump himself, in 1992. That last invocation was in response to civil unrest following the Rodney King beating acquittal in Los Angeles. A significant gap of 33 years has passed since then.
Critics like Maurer stress that this law is a fundamental departure from Posse Comitatus, an 1878 act barring military involvement in domestic policing. By invoking the Insurrection Act, Trump would be asserting significant authority over how the nation responds to perceived threats.
"The American military policing our own people? That's not fine in our country," says Maurer. "This is one of those areas where the president is likely to have a tremendous amount of deference in determining what is an insurrection and therefore when to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the National Guard."
The use of this law would mark a significant shift in norms, sparking concerns about how the US military might be deployed domestically.
Trump's plan to use the Insurrection Act on Chicago is super concerning for me... like what even is going on here? 
I think it's kinda crazy that he's trying to pull off this power play, especially considering how thin the line is between domestic law enforcement and military intervention. The fact that experts are warning about setting a "dangerous precedent" just makes me wanna scream 
Can we PLEASE talk about how this might affect civil liberties? And what's up with him trying to deploy troops on the streets without even getting consent from governors like JB Pritzker? 
This whole thing feels super sketchy, and I'm not sure how things will play out...
. I mean, come on, using the Insurrection Act to send troops onto Chicago streets? It's like something out of a dystopian novel 
. And what's with Trump trying to deploy the National Guard without Congress' approval? Doesn't he know that's kinda like a dictatorship? 
. I mean, have you seen those protests in Chicago lately? They're not exactly violent, are they? 
It feels like Trump is just trying to score points with his base and justify some kinda authoritarian move 
.
. This law hasn't been used in decades, and only three presidents have invoked it before Trump. What changed this time? Was it something specific that made him think, "Hey, I can just deploy troops whenever I want"? 
. And we're already seeing experts warning about how this could lead to major issues down the line 
.
I'm totally opposed to Trump deploying troops on our streets! 
Like, what's next? We can't let him just go around using this power like it's his personal playground 
. Professor Maurer is totally right, we gotta draw the line between domestic law enforcement and military intervention 
. I mean, can you even imagine if Trump was in charge of policing our own neighborhoods? 
No thanks! We need more transparency and accountability from our leaders 
.
I mean, I know there was some rioting in LA last time it was used, but 33 years is a looong time... isn't this kinda setting a bad precedent for future presidents? 
And what exactly would be considered an "insurrection"? Would it be like a bunch of protesters showing up to a rally or something? 
. The last thing we need is the military showing up on our streets.
. And to all my Chicago peeps, stay safe out there 
. We gotchu!
. It's time for someone to take charge and get the situation under control. And if that means deploying troops, then so be it 
. The fact is, we need some authority figure to step in and keep the peace. It's not about taking away our freedoms or anything, it's just about making sure everyone's safe 
. And if that means having the National Guard on our streets for a bit, I'm okay with that 
.
like isnt that kinda extreme? 
i mean, i get its frustrating 2 see violence & all, but puttin soldiers on the streets aint da answer 
, and I'm not convinced it's the right one...
. And what about all the other cities that are dealing with the same issues? Shouldn't they be getting some help too? 
. And what about Posse Comitatus? Isn't that still a thing? 
. And what's with the fact that only three presidents have ever used this law in decades? That's not exactly reassuring 
.
. What changed? Is it just that Trump is feeling more comfortable wielding this power or is there something else at play 
. And experts are warning about setting a dangerous precedent... yeah, I agree. This is like something out of a sci-fi movie where the military shows up at your doorstep and starts enforcing its own rules.