Washington, DC (June 9, 2025) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) condemns the decision to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles in response to protests. NACDL opposes this abuse of power and calls to end violence against protestors and the criminalization of free speech.
"Protesters in Los Angeles have the right to collective action, to speak out against extreme immigration enforcement tactics, and to express themselves without being subject to government violence," said NACDL Executive Director Lisa M. Wayne. "To sic the military against our communities is a dangerous escalation. Treating protestors this way is unacceptable and unAmerican."
"It is more important than ever to stand up for free speech, freedom of assembly, and due process," said NACDL President Christopher Wellborn. "The President's assertion of 'Title 10 authority' to circumvent state command and control of the National Guard, especially when governors are actively managing situations, is a direct assault on federalism and risks escalating tensions rather than de-escalating them. Protests do not constitute an emergency. The role of the military is to defend the nation, not to act as a domestic police force."
"NACDL reiterates its unwavering commitment to fair hearings and meaningful judicial review for all individuals, regardless of their immigration status," Wayne concluded. "The communities targeted by this deployment are largely Black, Latino, and immigrant. There’s a history of racialized over-policing in this country. This administration put troops in the streets of Los Angeles to inflame people and remind them of their powerlessness against the almighty federal government."
Contacts
Jonathan Hutson, NACDL Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communications, 202-480-5343 or jhutson@nacdl.org
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is the preeminent organization advancing the mission of the criminal defense bar to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or wrongdoing. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's many thousands of direct members in 28 countries – and 90 state, provincial and local affiliate organizations totaling up to 40,000 attorneys – include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness and promoting a rational and humane criminal legal system.
