Pushing the legal limits of federal authority has sparked outrage in Portland and elsewhere. Someone who really cared about public safety would be looking to bring calm to chaos, not the other way around.
While legal challenges against Trump’s tactics may eventually succeed, Trump can continue to occupy cities in the meantime. And even if the courts one day rule against him, he can brag to his supporters that he was so tough on crime that even the courts made him stop.
Ultimately, Trump’s authoritarian tactics are making our cities less safe and damaging the credibility of federal agencies that will hamper their ability to enforce the law for years to come. Like everything else Trump touches, federal law enforcement agencies will be tarnished beyond recognition.
