North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman cosponsors legislation to block federal policing in cities

July 24, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman on Thursday announced he joined legislation to block what he called federal paramilitary occupations in Portland and other American cities.

Huffman announced his support as an original cosponsor of H.R. 7719, the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act. In a press release, his office said the bill would block the Trump administration from deploying federal forces as a "shadowy paramilitary against Americans."

The bill is led by Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici and U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden.

“What we have witnessed in Portland is a horrific display of the ‘secret police’ tactics that fascist regimes deploy,” Rep. Huffman said. “What President Trump is doing does not reflect the American democracy that we love, and it is clear that he and his enablers plan to take similar unconstitutional actions in cities around America in the lead up to the November 3 election. Congress must block this dangerous escalation and enforce the rule of law.”

The legislation was in response to the Trump Administration deploying militarized federal agents to the city of Portland, Oregon.

"The unconstitutional federal incursion has inflamed conflict in Portland at a time when local and state elected officials are working to de-escalate friction between protesters and police," Huffman said.

Huffman said the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act would:

  • Require individual and agency identification on uniforms of officers and prevent unmarked vehicles from being used in arrests.
  • Limit federal agents’ crowd control activities to federal property and its immediate vicinity, unless their presence is specifically requested by both the mayor and governor.
  • Require disclosure on an agency website within 24 hours of deployments specifying the number of personnel and purposes of deployment.
  • Make arrests in violation of these rules unlawful.

By:  Marissa Papnek
Source: KRCR