Friend,

In case you missed it, we wanted to send around a quick update on a recent piece of legislation that Congressman Lieu and his colleague, Rep. Blumenauer, announced in the House this week.

We’ve all watched with horror and outrage as unidentified federal agents descended on Washington, D.C. and Portland, unleashing violence on protestors and unlawfully arresting and detaining U.S. citizens. In response, Congressman Lieu is leading the effort to restrict the ability of the U.S. Marshals Service to deputize other federal units:

"What happened in Washington, DC and Portland is outrageous," Rep. Lieu said. "There are legitimate uses of the U.S. Marshals' deputizing authority. This is not one of them. Our bill would prevent the U.S. Marshals from deputizing other federal officials unless their support is first requested by the state governor. We cannot allow this Administration or any future one to abuse its authorities against Americans practicing their First Amendment right to protest. In light of reports that the Trump Administration may use authoritarian tactics in additional cities around the country, we are working at breakneck speed to reign in this unfettered and troubling use of force."

“From the dramatic influx of unnecessary federal agents, to the egregious use of violent tactics, it’s clear that the Trump Administration’s goal in Portland is to inflame tensions for political gain, rather than to keep our city safe,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer. “No community should face such a siege from the very people sworn to protect them. In order to ensure the rights of all Americans, it’s clear that we must fundamentally change the way federal officials can be deployed and used.”

We’ll continue to keep you updated on this important piece of legislation, and in the meantime, we hope that you’re staying healthy and doing your part to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

Best,
Team Lieu