Posted on Friday, June 13, 2025
|
by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
|
27 Comments
|
This is not over. President Trump has, it appears, exercised authority under Title 10 to deploy the California National Guard to end violent riots against ICE agents in California. He was right to do so.
As a former Navy Reservist, certain rules apply to how, when, and when a president can mobilize troops, and these get complicated with the National Guard, because the Guard can operate under both Title 32 – reporting to the governor – or Title 10 – reporting to the President.
For a century, when civilian law enforcement is overwhelmed or could be, when a national presence is needed to restabilize a state or city, the National Guard has been called in.
Commonly, they operate to stabilize a civilian environment after a natural disaster, or after a national emergency, such as 9-11, when the Guard manned airports nationwide to prevent any further terror attacks.
They also operate in a counter-narcotics role, under both titles, to support state and federal law enforcement in takedowns, surveillance, criminal analysis, case exploration, and backup.
This use is therefore not novel, and ironically represents a president standing up for citizens when the governor of the state has failed, been reluctant, encouraged lawlessness, or otherwise seems unable to quell violence in the civilian community.
The biggest aspect of this new development is not the exercise of Title 10, which has been done before in many circumstances, and by Democrat and Republican Presidents, but the need to do so to support ICE, after the government – California – offered sanctuary to lawbreakers.
The main takeaway is simple and should be comforting, even as many Americans rightly recognize the 10th Amendment, or an assurance of States’ rights in most circumstances. In short, ICE is trying to get illegal immigrants, lawbreakers by definition, many with felony records, out of the country.
In states like Maine, where 8,000 potential illegals are given sanctuary, ICE should not only be called in, as they have been more broadly, but should be backed up if necessary by the National Guard. Violent drug trafficking groups are in the state, and some tie back to illegals.
And here is the kicker: If the current Maine governor, an anti-Trump Democrat, cannot find a way to help ICE, and will not authorize National Guard protection of citizens and ICE personnel under Title 32, then President Trump should feel well within the bounds of law to authorize them under Title 10.
Bottom line: Thank God for the National Guard, who have pulled us out of endless civil conflicts, and restored peace and safety, and thank God for a president who is willing to deploy them. This is not over.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).
Read full article here