President Donald Trump is considering invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act, a rare law allowing the deployment of military forces for domestic law enforcement, including suppressing protests and enforcing immigration crackdowns. The move follows his declaration of a border emergency and the controversial use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants. Recently, Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid immigration-related unrest, drawing criticism from California officials who accuse him of overreach. Despite backlash, Trump insists he would use the law if faced with an “insurrection.”

Historically, the Insurrection Act has been used sparingly, such as during the Civil War, against the Ku Klux Klan, and to enforce school desegregation. Its last use was in 1992 during the Rodney King riots. While Trump has expanded executive power through emergency declarations, legal challenges remain possible—the Supreme Court has previously blocked some of his immigration policies. If invoked, the act could escalate tensions over his hardline immigration enforcement.