WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th July, 2020) Several US mayors sent a letter on Monday to leaders in Congress to request they pass legislation that would bar Federal agents from entering cities without approval from local officials.
"We write to express our continued concern and objection to the threatened deployment of federal troops or riot-gear clad forces on the streets of our cities, without consultation with local officials and against our explicit request," the letter said. "We call on Congress to pass legislation to make clear that these actions are unlawful and repugnant."
The letter was signed by the mayors of the cities of Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Albuquerque, Washington, DC and Kansas City.
Earlier on Monday, US media reported that the administration last week sent 100 additional federal officers to Portland, which already had about 114 federal agents on the ground to protect a federal courthouse, and is thinking of sending 50 more.
Trump's initiative to deploy federal forces, dubbed "Operation Legend," aims to combat recent spikes in shootings and murders in cities such as Chicago and Albuquerque. About 200 federal agents will be sent to Chicago and 35 others to Albuquerque. There are more than 200 federal agents already operating in Kansas City.
Protests against police brutality and racism have erupted in Washington, Portland and other US cities after the death of African American man George Floyd in police custody on May 25.
