Michigan Bill Seeks to Limit National Guard Deployment Without State Approval
A proposed bill in the Michigan House is aiming to restrict the deployment of out-of-state National Guard troops into Michigan unless authorized by the state’s governor or directed by the president. While this aligns with existing federal law, recent actions by the Trump administration in Washington, D.C., and California have raised concerns among lawmakers and civil rights groups about the potential for similar occurrences in Michigan.
State Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) has expressed deep concerns over the use of military personnel in urban areas, stating that it poses a threat to citizens exercising their constitutional rights. “This type of authoritarian activation of our troops and utilizing them against citizens who are engaging in constitutionally protected behavior is very, very frightening,” Pohutsky remarked during a recent press conference.
Although Pohutsky acknowledges that the bill may not completely prevent what she perceives as unlawful military force, she believes that embedding the ban into state law would empower state courts to challenge such actions. “Being able to prevent them from engaging unlawfully is not reality. Let’s be honest about that. What we’re trying to do is give courts, which seem to be the only entity really trying to push back against some of these actions, all of the tools possible, including our state courts,” she explained.
The Trump administration justifies the deployment of troops as a means to uphold law and order and prevent insurrection. However, human rights organizations remain doubtful of these intentions.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan backs Pohutsky’s legislation. Kyle Zawacki, the organization’s legislative director, emphasizes the dangers of normalizing military presence in civilian areas. “Seeing troops on the streets as a normalization of a militarized policing force is a step down another direction of an authoritarian playbook. And it’s another step forward that we are going to be pushing back against at every avenue,” Zawacki commented.
Despite support from civil rights advocates, the likelihood of the bill advancing in the Republican-dominated Michigan House is minimal.
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