By Martricia ODonnell McLaughlin

Federal law enforcement is infiltrating U.S. cities led by Democrats, by order of Donald Trump. We citizens who value free speech, free assembly, states rights and our Constitution must loudly condemn this action.

Our federal government was established as a limited government and has successfully functioned as such, through periods of crises and turmoil as well as through more tranquil times, for more than 240 years. Under the Constitution, the federal government does not have a general police power. Police powers belong to the states and their delegations to local law enforcement.

Trumps deployment of federal law enforcement to cities such as Portland, Ore., is a dangerous disruption of constitutional power. It also places our civil liberties at great risk.

For a man who opines that mandating the wearing of masks for public health and safety is an infringement of liberty to operationalize federal law enforcement against protesters is outrageous. There is not a constitutionally protected right to be mask-free during a pandemic, any more than there is a constitutional right to enter restaurants shirtless. There is, however, a long-protected right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

The tactics reportedly used in Portland should arouse the outrage of every citizen. We are not Argentina, East Germany, China, or North Korea. We do not condone authoritarian police tactics to sweep protestors from the street, to deploy police without identification, to blindfold and question citizens. We must be aware that if we allow a Republican president to act in this way today, a Democratic President may act similarly tomorrow. The former might attack the radical left, the latter the radical right.

Also disturbing is the blatant partisanship of these deployments. Trump and his allies, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, overtly indicate they are targeting jurisdictions led by Democrats. Politicization of the police is dangerous. The administration similarly politicized coronavirus infections early, claiming the highest rates were in regions led by Democrats. Today the hot zones are overwhelmingly in red states.

The supporters of the administration long ago acquiesced to Trumps deviation from the norm that a president serves all the people and have allowed partisanship in power that has never risen to such levels. This must not be allowed to continue where basic freedoms are at stake.

In todays divided culture, the Constitution appears as a brilliant document, guiding us through these turbulent times. Its declaration of basic freedoms to speak, petition our government and assemble peaceably is precious. The absence of a federal police power, allowing states to police themselves, is wise and achieves a necessary balance against the erosion of democracy and the advance of an uncivil, authoritarian regime.

Martricia ODonnell McLaughlin is an attorney and mediator in Easton.

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Federalization of police threatens the rights of all Americans | Opinion - lehighvalleylive.com