A coalition of 18 Democratic attorneys general on Wednesday condemned the Trump administration for what they called the unlawful deployment of the California National Guard amid the protests in Los Angeles.
“The president’s decision to federalize and deploy California’s National Guard without the consent of California state leaders is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic,” the attorneys general said in a statement released by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. They said the Trump administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, “not mobilizing the military against the American people.”
In their capacity as the chief legal officers of the 18 states, they also expressed support for California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s court challenge to Trump’s order.
“We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk — including those of our law-enforcement officers,” they wrote.
The statement was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.
