In a shocking act, President Trump has deployed hundreds of Marines and federalized California National Guard soldiers in response to overwhelmingly peaceful protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. It happened despite the fact that the LAPD said — and videos showed — that the situation was under control. To bypass the law against using the military for domestic law enforcement without congressional approval, the administration cited a statute that has never before been used this way.

Violent protests are not acceptable or productive. But Trump’s order doesn’t just send troops to LA — it authorizes military deployment anywhere in the country where protests against ICE activities “are likely to occur.” Using the military against civilians inside the United States should be a last resort. Preemptive deployment before a protest even happens is the opposite of that. The president’s actions represent a dangerous and unnecessary use of military force, and both the courts and the public must stand against it.