New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill has pledged to sue President Trump if he deploys National Guard troops to the state, arguing that such actions would be illegal and unnecessary.
Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy veteran and current representative of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, has expressed her strong opposition to the deployment of National Guard troops in her state. During a town hall meeting broadcast live on Univision 41 Nueva York, Sherrill made it clear that she would take legal action against the Trump administration should the president decide to send federal troops to New Jersey.
The town hall audience, which engaged with Sherrill in Spanish while she responded in English, included a member whose family fled the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela. This individual posed a question regarding Sherrill’s stance on potential troop deployments by President Trump. In her response, Sherrill emphasized that American troops should not be patrolling the streets of the country except in extraordinary circumstances, such as during an insurrection or a national crisis.
“Troops are not trained for policing missions like local law enforcement,” Sherrill stated. She further elaborated on her position, saying, “And that’s why, as governor, should Trump try to deploy troops on our streets, I would be very opposed to that. I’d immediately take him to court and demand that he stop this – because I think it’s illegal – and ensure that here in New Jersey, people are kept safe.”
Sherrill is currently running against Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Phil Murphy. Her remarks come in the context of President Trump’s recent actions, which have included the deployment or threats of deployment of federal troops to various cities across the United States, including Baltimore, Los Angeles, and Memphis. The administration has characterized these cities as crime-ridden and in need of federal intervention.
In Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker has also taken legal action against the Trump administration, seeking to block the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago. This lawsuit was initiated following a federal judge’s decision to halt the deployment of Guard troops in Portland, Oregon, amid protests related to immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration has defended its troop deployments, asserting that they are essential for curbing violent crime and restoring law and order. However, critics, including various officials, have accused the administration of overreach, arguing that federal intervention often exacerbates tensions rather than alleviating them.
In a recent ruling, a federal judge stated that the Trump administration “willfully” violated federal law by deploying Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this year in response to protests concerning immigration raids.
As the gubernatorial race heats up, Sherrill’s commitment to legal action against potential troop deployments highlights the ongoing debate over federal intervention in local law enforcement and the implications it holds for state sovereignty and public safety.
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