Rand Paul: ‘No place’ for feds ’rounding people up at will’ in Portland

Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulTrump-Afghan deal passes key deadline, but peace elusive GOP lawmakers push amendment to rescind authority for troops in Afghanistan House GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 MORE (R-Ky.) on Monday spoke out against federal officers “rounding people up at will” in Portland, Ore., saying the handling of unrest there should be left to local law enforcement.

“We cannot give up liberty for security. Local law enforcement can and should be handling these situations in our cities but there is no place for federal troops or unidentified federal agents rounding people up at will,” Paul tweeted Monday.

The senator linked to a post on the conservative blog HotAir about reports of protesters in Portland being detained by officers in unmarked vans. The link criticizes the federal officers’ presence as attempting to convey “to vandals, protesters, whoever, that there’ll be no accountability for anything these guys end up doing to them.”

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We cannot give up liberty for security. Local law enforcement can and should be handling these situations in our cities but there is no place for federal troops or unidentified federal agents rounding people up at will. https://t.co/vkSHmlOzDW

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 20, 2020

The Department of Homeland Security has deployed the forces to the city over the objections of local and state officials, with both President TrumpDonald John TrumpKanye West says Harriet Tubman ‘never actually freed the slaves’ at rally Trump-Afghan deal passes key deadline, but peace elusive GOP governors in hardest hit states split over COVID-19 response MORE and acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli saying they could take similar steps in other U.S. cities in coming weeks.

Three House Democratic chairs on Sunday wrote to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz and Homeland Security Department Inspector General Joseph Cuffari calling for an investigation into the deployment.

“The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appear to have increasingly abused emergency authorities to justify the use of force against Americans exercising their right to peaceful assembly,” wrote House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerHouse GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 Texas Democrat proposes legislation requiring masks in federal facilities Nadler: Barr dealings with Berman came ‘awfully close to bribery’ MORE (D-N.Y.), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonHouse Democrats ask watchdogs to probe federal crackdown on protests GOP lawmaker raises concern over lobbyist gaining unauthorized access to online hearing platform Rep. Clyburn on Confederate statues: Mob action is no answer MORE (D-Miss.) and Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn MaloneyCarolyn Bosher MaloneyHouse Democrats ask watchdogs to probe federal crackdown on protests Progressive Bowman ousts Engel in New York primary Congress backs push for national cyber czar MORE (D-N.Y.).