House Democrat Seeks to Block Military Drone Use for Protest Surveillance

A House Democrat is seeking to prevent the Trump administration from deploying military-grade drones to monitor protests within the United States. The bill's introduction follows reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) utilized MQ-9 Reaper drones to observe protests in Los Angeles earlier this year.

Representative Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat from California, stated that the government should never use military drones to surveil its own citizens. He emphasized that the bill aims to halt what he views as an abuse of power and remove combat drones from residential areas.

The White House has declined to comment on the pending legislation, and Fox News Digital reached out to the DHS for comment. The protests in Los Angeles, some of which escalated into violent riots, were sparked by demonstrations against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the implementation of Trump's policies targeting illegal immigrants in predominantly Hispanic or Latino communities.

Images of burning vehicles and clashes between protesters and law enforcement quickly spread across the nation, leading to a blame game between Republicans and Democrats regarding the escalating tensions. Gomez, along with other Democrats, criticized Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles, despite objections from Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Gomez characterized Trump's actions as a dangerous abuse of power that heightened tensions, endangered lives, and violated constitutional principles.

Gomez's district encompasses a significant portion of Los Angeles and is entirely within Los Angeles County. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but it is unlikely to be taken up by the Republican-controlled House.