Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Request Department of Defense Inspector General Inquiry into Domestic Deployment of Military in American Cities
“We urgently request that you initiate an inquiry into the cumulative effects of these domestic deployments of U.S. active-duty troops and the National Guard… on military readiness, resources, personnel, and our military as an institution,” the lawmakers wrote to the Department of Defense Acting Inspector General
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues to demand an inquiry from the U.S. Department of Defense into the recent domestic deployments of active-duty and National Guard troops to Portland; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; and Memphis. In the letter, the Senators underscore the illegality of the domestic troop deployments, which undermine military readiness and politicize the nation’s military.
“The military’s expanded use to support immigration operations and domestic law enforcement activities at home is fundamentally un-Constitutional, dangerous for American civil rights, and risks straining military readiness and resources, weakening troop morale, undermining recruitment and retention, and eroding public trust in the military,” the senators wrote in their letter to the U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General Steven Stebbins. “Neither the active-duty military nor the National Guard are intended or trained at scale for the purposes that the Administration has claimed they are used for, including ‘crime-fighting’.”
“We urgently request that you initiate an inquiry into the cumulative effects of these domestic deployments of U.S. active-duty troops and the National Guard—over the objections of state and local officials—on military readiness, resources, personnel, and our military as an institution,” the senators wrote.
The senators made clear that pulling National Guard troops away from their assigned duties to assist in law enforcement operations erodes public trust; diverts critical resources from communities in need, including those impacted by natural disasters; and costs American taxpayers millions of dollars. As the senators note, the Pentagon has estimated the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles costs approximately $170 million for a 60-day deployment.
“When military and Guard units are pulled away from scheduled training or mission preparation, the consequences extend beyond individual units and erode operational strength across the force, leaving the military less prepared for overseas operations and crisis response. The Guard’s unique role as both a state and federal force makes it particularly vulnerable to strain, which could impact the ability of the Guard to protect and save local communities during natural disasters at home,” the senators wrote. “Service members commit to service with the understanding that their sacrifices will aid communities in times of disaster and defend our nation overseas. They are not trained nor prepared to act as a domestic police force.”
The Senators laid out the illegality of using the nation’s military as civilian law enforcement under the Posse Comitatus Act.
“These domestic deployments also risk normalizing military involvement in contentious civilian law enforcement, which apart from being deeply contrary to the Constitution, raises serious concerns about the apolitical character of our armed forces and compliance with the Posse Comitatus Act. The Posse Comitatus Act reflects the founding principle—reflected in the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments—that separating civilian law enforcement from the military protects both individual liberties and states’ rights,” the senators continued.
“Several federal courts have found no credible evidence that the Administration’s use of the military in this way is justified, finding that conditions on the ground have not reached the high threshold of crisis that merits such a militarized response, especially over the objection of local officials. Further, the Trump Administration’s unprecedented deployment of out-of-state Guard personnel into a non-consenting jurisdiction is a significant overreach of executive power,” the senators wrote.
The senators concluded their letter by reiterating their call for an inquiry into the domestic deployments of troops to American cities, requesting a report from the inspector general by November 21, 2025.
The letter was led by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and U.S. Senators Jack Reed, D-R.I., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Patty Murray, D-Wash., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Angela D. Alsobrooks, D-Md., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Tina Smith, D-Minn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
The full letter is here.
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