Democratic mayors wrote to Congress on Monday asking for limitations on the Trump administration deployment of “unidentified federal officers” to their cities to calm protests, according to a letter posted on Twitter.
The mayors requested that federal agents be required to present identification except “on an undercover mission authorized by the local U.S. Attorney,” according to the letter Wheeler posted on Twitter. Six Democratic mayors, including Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland and Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago signed the letter.
President Donald Trump sent more than 200 federal officers to Chicago to end violent protests, according to a July 22 press briefing. Wheeler has criticized the federal government’s deployment of federal officers, calling it “unconscionable and un-American,” he said on Twitter July 23. Wheeler had been with protesters the night before.
The letter further asked Congress to restrict federal agents control crowds and have “local authorities” approve of the federal government’s use of federal agents.
Other mayors who signed the letter were Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington D.C., Mayor Quinton D. Lucas of Kansas City, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan of Seattle and Mayor Tim Keller of Albuquerque, according to the letter.
“This must stop. This administration’s egregious use of federal force on cities over the objections of local authorities should never happen,” the letter read.
The letter condemned various measures federal forces have taken in Portland while “protecting federal property,” such as arresting residents “without cause,” the letter claimed.
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