In the most recent Amnesty International Urgent Action letter, the TRU Students’ Union wrote to Susan Wiles, Chief of Staff at the White House, urging her to encourage President Donald Trump to rescind the Presidential memo authorizing the deployment of military forces during the Los Angeles protests. We called for the administration to ensure that military forces play no role in domestic law enforcement operations moving forward.
“Writing this letter was about adding our voice to the global call for accountability,” said Payton Maffioli, TRUSU Member at Large. “When governments misuse their power to silence dissent, it is essential that we speak out and make it clear that such actions cannot go unchallenged.”
On June 8, President Trump ordered 2,000 members of the California National Guard to Los Angeles to respond to protests against aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. This was done without the state’s approval and may have broken federal law. The next day, another 2,000 Guard members were called up, and 700 U.S. Marines were put on standby. ICE agents confronted protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets, escalating tensions instead of easing them. The order also allowed the military to be sent anywhere protests might disrupt ICE operations—not just in California—which could go against laws that normally keep the military out of civilian policing.
Bringing in armed forces to control peaceful protests sets a dangerous precedent to freedoms that are essential to any democracy. It threatens basic rights like free speech, the right to protest, and the right to gather. Military troops aren’t trained to handle protests safely, which makes the risk of violence, wrongful arrests, and other abuses much higher. It sends a clear message: instead of listening to people’s concerns, the government is willing to use force to silence them.
“Our communities are built on mutual respect, accountability, and the freedom to speak out,” said Maffioli. “When that freedom is threatened by military deployment the trust between citizens and their government falls apart.”
We hope Ms. Wiles will act swiftly in response to our letter by pressuring the administration to revoke the memo, end the militarization of protest policing, and uphold the fundamental rights of all people to peacefully assemble and speak their truths.
We await a response from Ms. Wiles on this urgent Matter.
For more information
The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows the Union to take action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.