House Democrats are attempting to prohibit the Trump administration from utilizing military-grade drones to surveil protests within the United States. Representative Jimmy Gomez from California introduced this bill following reports of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deploying an MQ-9 Reaper drone during a protest earlier this year.
“The U.S. government should not employ military drones to monitor its citizens, especially not under Trump,” he stated. “This legislation aims to prevent the misuse of power by Trump and to remove these combat drones from our communities.”
As investigations in the House escalate, Gomez remarked that he never had prior concerns about Biden’s mental capacity. Meanwhile, the White House indicated that any forthcoming laws would not precede President Trump’s views. DHS was also reached for comments on this matter.
The protests in Los Angeles last month lasted several days and escalated into some violent riots. They initially started as a demonstration against the immigration enforcement actions taken by Trump’s administration, particularly affecting Hispanic and Latinx neighborhoods in Southern California.
Images of burning cars and clashes with the police quickly spread across the nation, prompting criticisms from both Republican and Democratic leaders regarding the rising tensions. Gomez, like other Democrats at the time, condemned Trump for sending the National Guard to Los Angeles to manage the situation, despite objections from Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
“What Trump is executing in Los Angeles represents a dangerous abuse of power. It heightens tensions, endangers lives, and infringes upon constitutional values. We stand united as Americans,” he emphasized.
His district, notably, encompasses a significant part of Los Angeles and is entirely within Los Angeles County. However, the Republican-controlled House is expected to likely avoid taking action on this new bill, which has been presented to the House Judiciary Committee.
