442:, to reform the Insurrection Act with the intent of clarifying vague language and updating its contents to reflect issues of the present. Some of the language the BCJ identified as needing clarification include the section outlining the circumstances in which the President can invoke the Act that reads "any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy" are legally accepted criteria for the law's invocation. BCJ argues that this criterion is broad and can possibly be interpreted to allow the President to invoke the Act to address any conspiracy, large or small, to include protests or petty criminal acts with active duty military forces. The BCJ also argued for Congress to rewrite the line "The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means," as the inclusion of
29:
312:, That in all cases of insurrection, or obstruction to the laws, either of the United States, or of any individual state or territory, where it is lawful for the President of the United States to call forth the militia for the purpose of suppressing such insurrection, or of causing the laws to be duly executed, it shall be lawful for him to employ, for the same purposes, such part of the land or naval force of the United States, as shall be judged necessary, having first observed all the pre-requisites of the law in that respect.
427:
activation of troops under the Act to fourteen days without explicit congressional authorization, requiring the
President, Secretary of Defense, and Attorney General to issue a joint certification to Congress affirming a state's reluctance or inability to enforce the laws, thus justifying the use of the military, and prohibiting active duty troops from performing law enforcement actions unless authorized by law.
384:, added by an unidentified sponsor, amended the Insurrection act to permit military intervention without state consent, in case of an emergency that hindered the enforcement of laws. Bush signed this amendment into law, but some months after it was enacted, all fifty state governors issued a joint statement against it, and the changes were repealed in January 2008.
246:, which had allowed for federalization of state militias, with similar language that allowed either for federalization of state militias or use of the regular armed forces in the case of rebellion against a state government. The Act did not provide a criminal penalty for insurrection, which was instead introduced by the
324:
Whenever the
President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal
535:. Very few people, including many members of Congress who voted on the larger defense bill, actually knew they were also voting to modify the Insurrection Act. The secrecy surrounding the Enforcement Act was so pervasive that the actual sponsor of the new legislation remains unknown to this day.
253:
The 1807 Act has been modified twice. In 1861, a new section was added allowing the federal government to use the
National Guard and armed forces against the will of the state government in the case of "rebellion against the authority of the government of the United States," in anticipation of
426:
introduced the CIVIL Act (Curtailing
Insurrection and Violations of Individuals' Liberties Act) to restrict presidential authorities outlined in the Insurrection Act. The legislation sought to require the President to consult with Congress before invoking the Act, restricting the President's
340:
The
Insurrection Act has been invoked many times throughout American history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was invoked during labor conflicts. Later in the 20th century, it was used to enforce federally mandated
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despite the refusal from
Louisiana's governor, but this was inconsistent with past precedent, politically difficult, and potentially unconstitutional. A provision of the
192:
There are exceptions rooted in the president's own constitutional authority. Defense
Department guidelines describe "homeland defense" as a "constitutional exception" to
320:
was amended to include Guam and the US Virgin
Islands under Ch. 13 jurisdiction. §252: "Use of militia and armed forces to enforce Federal authority" currently reads:
1213:
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279:
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325:
service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.
1188:
Proclamation 157 – Declaring that Peace, Order, Tranquillity, and Civil
Authority Now Exists in and Throughout the Whole of the United States of America
944:
1216:– Providing Assistance for the Removal of Unlawful Obstructions of Justice in the State of Mississippi, President John F. Kennedy (September 30, 1962)
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410:"until the violence has been quelled". Federal officials talked Trump out of invoking the Insurrection Act. The National Guard were called during the
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634:
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when requested by a state's legislature, or governor if the legislature cannot be convened, to address an insurrection against that state (
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restrictions, meaning that measures necessary to protect national security from external threats are not subject to the same limitations.
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to address an insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy, in any state, which results in the deprivation of
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of 1878, which limits the use of military personnel under federal command for law enforcement purposes within the United States.
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ordering the insurgents to disperse. As part of the Posse
Comitatus Act, these provisions have since been amended.
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585:"Providing Supplemental Security – The Insurrection Act and the Military Role in Responding to Domestic Crises"
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled
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An Act authorizing the employment of the land and naval forces of the United States, in cases of insurrections
39:
An Act authorizing the employment of the land and naval forces of the United States, in cases of insurrections
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1112:"Blumenthal Introduces Legislation to Limit Unchecked Presidential Authority under the Insurrection Act"
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357:. More recently, governors have requested and received support following looting in the aftermath of
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Once finalized, the Enforcement Act was quietly tucked into a large defense authorization bill: the
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The chief clause of the Insurrection Act, in its original 1807 wording (since updated to modern
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656:"The Posse Comitatus Act and Related Matters: The Use of the Military to Execute Civilian Law"
274:. The language added at that time allows the federal government to use the act to enforce the
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to address an insurrection, in any state, which makes it impracticable to enforce the law (
8:
171:
1187:
1085:
785:
1086:"H.R. 7135 (IH) - Curtailing Insurrection act Violations of Individuals' Liberties Act"
1012:
423:
317:
283:
255:
864:"Trump says he will deploy military if state officials can't contain protest violence"
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being authorized by the President to act under the auspices of the Insurrection Act.
377:
945:"Cotton: Trump should use Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military to cities"
353:
invoking the Act in opposition to the affected states' political leaders to enforce
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1206:(invoking the Insurrection Act to send troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce
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786:"What Is the Insurrection Act of 1807, the Law Behind Trump's Threat to States?"
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can leave open the possibility of a force not formally under the control of the
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234:, and where the state is unable, fails, or refuses to protect said rights (
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897:"Can Trump Use the Insurrection Act to Deploy Troops to American Streets?"
1008:"Trump Aides Prepared Insurrection Act Order During Debate Over Protests"
402:. In his official statement, Trump urged "every governor to deploy the
90:
373:
164:
1104:
627:
The role of federal military forces in domestic disorders: 1789–1878
868:
735:"What Is The Insurrection Act That Trump Is Threatening To Invoke?"
382:
John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
825:"The Use of Federal Troops for Disaster Assistance: Legal Issues"
862:
Gregorian, Dareh; Kube, Courtney; Lee, Carol E. (June 2, 2020).
1235:
United States federal defense and national security legislation
1037:
1202:– Obstruction of Justice in the State of Arkansas, President
204:
The Act empowers the U.S. president to call into service the
992:
502:; prior to 2016, 10 U.S.C. §§ 331–335; amended 2006, 2007)
1137:
Goitein, Elizabeth; Nunn, Joseph (September 20, 2022).
1006:
Schmidt, Michael S.; Haberman, Maggie (June 25, 2021).
923:"Invoking the Insurrection Act: The Right Thing To Do?"
394:
warned that he would invoke the Act in response to the
280:
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
895:
Anderson, Scott R.; Paradis, Michel (June 3, 2020).
722:Ninth Congress. Sees. H. Ch. 37, 39, 40, 41. 1807.
519:"An Insurrection Act for the Twenty-First Century"
1170:"18 U.S. Code § 2383 - Rebellion or insurrection"
465:List of national emergencies in the United States
282:. This section of the act was invoked during the
155:in particular circumstances, such as to suppress
1221:
861:
552:"4 Ways Congress Can Amend the Insurrection Act"
170:The act provides a "statutory exception" to the
1058:
1005:
894:
760:"[USC02] 10 USC Ch. 13: Insurrection"
635:United States Army Center of Military History
592:Journal of National Security Law & Policy
533:John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007
406:in sufficient numbers" to re-establish civil
1196:– President Thomas Jefferson (19 April 1808)
414:, but the Insurrection Act was not invoked.
1136:
1061:"Trump did not invoke the Insurrection Act"
1059:Baudoin-Laarman, Louis (January 12, 2021).
1030:
516:
336:List of invocations of the Insurrection Act
1230:United States federal criminal legislation
412:2021 storming of the United States Capitol
177:Before invoking the powers under the act,
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372:considered intervening in the state of
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942:
823:Elsea, Jennifer K. (August 14, 2006).
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440:January 6 United States Capitol attack
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582:
1033:"Did Trump Invoke Insurrection Act?"
930:Defense Technical Information Center
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185:requires the President to publish a
605:from the original on August 8, 2017
417:
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1020:from the original on May 10, 2023.
784:Hauser, Christine (June 2, 2020).
733:Montaro, Domenico (June 1, 2020).
242:The 1807 Act replaced the earlier
14:
1256:
1174:LII / Legal Information Institute
1162:
1139:"How to Fix the Insurrection Act"
955:from the original on June 3, 2020
876:from the original on June 3, 2020
843:from the original on June 2, 2020
804:from the original on June 3, 2020
686:
674:from the original on June 2, 2020
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505:
1031:Jessica Lee (January 11, 2021).
943:Carney, Jordain (June 1, 2020).
460:Martial law in the United States
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1116:U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal
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1024:
999:
967:
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921:Smith, B. D. (April 15, 2021).
914:
888:
855:
816:
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698:"What is the Insurrection Act?"
696:Moore, Cortney (June 1, 2020).
232:constitutionally secured rights
1245:Presidency of Thomas Jefferson
833:Congressional Research Service
726:
715:
664:Congressional Research Service
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540:
517:Hoffmeister, Thaddeus (2010).
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141:president of the United States
1:
1118:(Press release). June 4, 2020
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370:George W. Bush administration
975:"Statement by the President"
557:Center for American Progress
434:submitted a proposal to the
7:
1208:school desegregation orders
1194:Proclamation On The Embargo
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355:court-ordered desegregation
254:continued unrest after the
10:
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1144:Brennan Center for Justice
583:Banks, William C. (2009).
432:Brennan Center for Justice
333:
49:9th United States Congress
438:, which investigated the
436:January 6 house committee
244:Calling Forth Act of 1792
137:United States federal law
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624:Coakley, Robert (1988).
248:Confiscation Act of 1862
133:Insurrection Act of 1807
22:Insurrection Act of 1807
361:in 1989 and during the
276:Equal Protection Clause
1214:Executive Order 11,053
400:murder of George Floyd
363:1992 Los Angeles riots
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262:revised this section (
448:Department of Defense
396:George Floyd protests
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260:Third Enforcement Act
1240:1807 in American law
1210:)(23 September 1957)
667:. November 6, 2018.
347:Dwight D. Eisenhower
270:from attacks by the
286:, and again during
200:Purpose and content
172:Posse Comitatus Act
97:Legislative history
23:
1013:The New York Times
790:The New York Times
523:Stetson Law Review
444:by any other means
424:Richard Blumenthal
345:, with Presidents
318:Public Law 114-328
290:fights during the
284:Reconstruction era
151:troops within the
139:that empowers the
21:
1204:Dwight Eisenhower
1200:Proclamation 3204
993:National Archives
550:(June 12, 2020).
422:In 2020, Senator
387:On June 1, 2020,
378:Hurricane Katrina
206:U.S. Armed Forces
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1179:September 6,
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702:FOX Business
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1070:January 28,
1044:January 28,
640:January 28,
496:§§ 251
330:Application
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1150:October 4,
1122:October 4,
1096:October 4,
478:References
301:), reads:
264:§ 253
236:§ 253
225:§ 252
218:§ 251
183:§ 254
143:to deploy
68:Public law
36:Long title
798:0362-4331
389:President
374:Louisiana
316:In 2016,
256:Civil War
165:rebellion
63:Citations
55:Effective
1018:Archived
987:June 18,
953:Archived
949:The Hill
906:June 18,
874:Archived
869:NBC News
838:Archived
802:Archived
769:June 18,
744:June 18,
707:June 18,
669:Archived
600:Archived
563:June 18,
454:See also
208:and the
1090:GovInfo
959:June 2,
901:Lawfare
880:June 2,
847:June 1,
808:June 3,
739:NPR.org
678:June 2,
609:June 2,
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163:, or
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1181:2023
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1124:2022
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1072:2024
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908:2020
882:2020
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810:2020
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680:2020
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611:2020
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