June 12, 2025
The Central Conference of American Rabbis condemns the White House’s deployment of the United States Armed Forces to combat largely peaceful protests in Los Angeles. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects “the right of the people peaceably to assemble” and “to petition the Government for redress of grievances”—that is, to the constitutional right of Americans to assemble and protest. Moreover, American law expressly forbids the deployment of our military “for the purpose of executing the laws, except … as expressly authorized by the Constitution or by an act of Congress.”[1] No such military action has been authorized.
Demonstrators have gathered to protest workplace immigration enforcement on a scale unprecedented in American history. The CCAR has a long record of opposing “the punitive enforcement-only approach to illegal residents that would result in deportations without access to a fair process that considers the circumstances of the individual or that co-opts the use of local law enforcement to meet federal … obligations.” Moreover, the CCAR is committed “to advocacy for an immigration law that will not only improve border security and immigration law enforcement, but will also provide for guest workers and for a just and fair path to citizenship for those now in the country without legal documentation.”[2]
Military action against protestors will serve only to enflame demonstrations in Los Angeles and wherever they may spread. Protestors, too, are responsible for keeping the peace. While violence has been minimal, graffiti and more serious vandalism have accompanied these protests. Reform rabbis call on demonstrators to remain peaceful and respectful of all persons and property.
Torah commands, צדק צדק תרדף, (Tzedek, tzedek tirdof), “Justice, justice shall you pursue.”[3] The repetition of the word צדק indicates that justice, the execution of law, must be carried out by just means. Deploying the military to quell protest is not a just method of enforcing immigration law.
The CCAR commends its members in Los Angeles who have raised their voices against both the large-scale workplace immigration enforcement and the deployment of military forces to quell demonstrations. The CCAR pledges support to its members and the communities they serve at this time of crisis.
Reform rabbis call on President Trump to withdraw troops from the streets of Los Angeles and to work with state and local governments to restore calm and peace in one of America’s great cities. We renew our demand that Congress take up comprehensive immigration reform, securing America’s borders while according dignity to every person residing within them.
Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis
- Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. ↑
- CCAR Resolution on Immigration Reform, June 2006, https://www.ccarnet.org/ccar-resolutions/immigration-reform/. ↑
- Deuteronomy 16:20. ↑
CCAR statements are grounded in the history of CCAR resolutions and platforms. We strive to represent the overall voice of the CCAR leadership and the Reform rabbinate on critical issues of the day. The CCAR is a diverse community of rabbis, and we recognize the multiplicity of viewpoints that exist within our membership. We encourage those of differing perspectives to engage in respectful dialogue. It is our hope that these statements provide the Reform community with deeper understanding of important issues that impact our lives as Jews and as global citizens.