Attorney General Kris Mayes has stepped into the legal fray, offering her support to Washington, D.C.'s challenge against the Trump administration's decision to deploy National Guard troops within the city's boundaries without the consent of local authorities. In a stance that underscores the tension between federal and local jurisdiction, Mayes has aligned herself with a group of 22 attorneys general to contend that the Trump Administration overstepped its bounds, citing constitutional concerns over the domestic use of military forces.
"Armed soldiers should not be policing American citizens on American soil," Mayes remarked, expressing not just a legal opinion, but a sentiment that resonates with historical unease over military intervention in civilian matters – something the United States has long regarded as counter to its core values. Mayes' involvement in the brief aims to support D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb's lawsuit, which seeks a preliminary injunction against what they claim is an unconstitutional militarization of American streets. The coalition, to which Mayes belongs, has issued their collective voice in the court of public opinion but more formally before the District Court for the District of Columbia.
The experience in California serves as a cautionary tale – federal troops were perceived not as protectors but as sources of fear that rolled back the everyday life of citizens and intensified mistrust between communities and law enforcement. Notably, the troops were criticized for their presence during immigration raids and their diversion from critical state functions like wildfire prevention during peak fire season. This June, the majority of California's specialized fire crews were redirected from wildfire-fighting measures to deploy in Los Angeles streets, an action that drew sharp critique and highlighted the conflict between federal priorities and state needs.
California's lessons have not gone unheeded, with Attorney General Mayes and a contingent of her colleagues from states including Maryland, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. They collectively argue that the National Guard should be reserved for natural disasters and security purposes, its members not trained in civilian law enforcement tactics, which could introduce additional hazards. Moreover, they assert that the deployment oversteps the constitutional bounds of the president’s power and delves into the arena of local governance that should be shielded from military interference.
Detailed information about the legal stance taken by the coalition of attorneys general can be found in a public document provided by the Arizona Attorney General's Office. The amicus brief, available here, outlines their position and the constitutional arguments that underpin their objections to what they perceive as a dangerous precedent being set in Washington D.C. and earlier, in California.
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