'Extremely dangerous': Shapiro speaks out on guard deployments

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(The Center Square) - Gov. Josh Shapiro commented Thursday on an amicus brief he filed opposing President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Oregon.

The governor was joined by 21 other states as well as the governors of Kentucky and Kansas respectively.

The document called the deployment “unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic,” highlighting the importance of maintaining civilian oversight of the military.

“By calling forth troops when there is no invasion to repel, no rebellion to suppress, and when state and local law enforcement are fully able to execute the law, the President flouts the vision of our Founders, undermines the rule of law, and sets a chilling precedent that puts the constitutional rights of all Americans at risk,” reads the brief.

"Im the Commander in Chief of the Pennsylvania National Guard, and we use the Guard responsibly." 

Governors sit at the head of their states’ Guards just as the president commands the U.S. military. The Pennsylvania National Guard is headed by Major General John R. Pippy.

“Deploying the National Guard to patrol American cities over the wishes of their governors is incredibly dangerous and an unprecedented infringement on states’ rights,” said Shapiro.

On Sunday, the president sent members of the California National Guard after a federal judge blocked him from using Oregon's own troops to control violent political protests against ICE deportations in Portland.

Trump has also deployed National Guard members to Washington D.C, Los Angeles and Chicago. 

I the brief, Shapiro said Trump’s decision “violates core constitutional principles of federalism and infringes on the sovereignty and police powers reserved to the States.”

“I will tell you, as both the Commander in Chief of the Pennsylvania National Guard, along with the former chief law enforcement officer of this commonwealth, Pennsylvanians’ safety is paramount,” said Shapiro. “And the way in which the President of the United States has engaged on this Guard issue does not make us more safe. It creates chaos and real danger in our communities.”

Shapiro emphasized that the state has seen a 42% drop in crime during his administration, including a reduction in Philadelphia which the president has singled out to support a narrative of out-of-control Democratic cities.

“If the president really wants to help on safety, he should invest more in policing here in Pennsylvania,” said Shapiro. “He should invest more in violence prevention, here in Pennsylvania. He should not attempt to deploy the Guard against my wishes.”

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis heads up violence prevention through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The administration has focused on recruiting more state troopers, supporting hiring of local police and funding community organizations that reduce crime before it occurs.

Notably, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has made headlines with opposition to Shapiro, and the majority of his fellow Democrats, on the issue.

"If I was a mayor and I had a significant kind of violence situation, I would be happy to get help, honestly, for that,” he told CNN in September.

Of living in D.C. amongst deployed troops, he said, “It honestly wasn't a big deal.” 

The brief was filed by Washington, Maryland, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also joined the brief.

Dan McCaleb contributed to this report.