Virginia’s governor and attorney general are wrong to support President Trump’s unlawful deployment of the military in Los Angeles

RICHMOND, Va. – In response to Virginia Governor Youngkin’s comments and Virginia Attorney General Miyares’ signature on a letter supporting President Trump’s unlawful actions in Los Angeles, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer released the following statement:

“It is shameful that Virginia’s governor would make comments – and Virginia’s attorney general would sign on to a letter – extoling the president’s unlawful deployment of the National Guard and Marines in Los Angeles. With more than one million immigrants and the second-highest number of active-duty personnel in the country, Virginians know better than most what an abuse of power it is to weaponize the military against people standing in solidarity with immigrants.

“President Trump’s despotic actions in Los Angeles are a clear and present threat to the civil liberties, democratic norms, and freedom and safety of every person in this country, and Virginia’s leaders are wrong to support his attempt to violently crush dissent.”