A Democrat lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced legislation in an attempt to prohibit President Donald Trump’s administration from using military drones to “spy” on Americans engaging in protests.
According to Fox News, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) introduced the Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act following reports that Trump’s Department of Homeland Security allegedly used MQ-9 Reaper drones to provide surveillance during the recent violent protests and riots against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles.
In a Sunday post on X, formerly Twitter, Gomez tweeted, “The U.S. government should never use military drones to spy on its own people. Not under Trump. Not under anyone. I introduced the Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act to stop Trump’s abuse of power & get these drones out of our neighborhoods.”
According to NBC Los Angeles, the Department of Homeland Security’s drones were documented by aviation trackers in early June after the drones reportedly passed through Arizona airspace while traveling back and forth to Los Angeles during the major riots. The outlet noted that public flight data also pointed to the presence of drones operated by the Department of Homeland Security throughout the region of Southern California.
“This is meant to intimidate. This is meant to surveil, to do surveillance of individuals engaged in protest,” Gomez told NBC Los Angeles.
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The Democrat representative added, “It’s not like they’re being used in a manhunt. It’s strictly to see and surveil who is actually participating in these protests, and that could have a chilling effect when it comes to people’s right to free speech and the right to assemble.”
According to NBC Los Angeles, Gomez explained that the Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act would limit the Department of Homeland Security’s use of military drones to missions regarding border security and anti-smuggling operations.
“They have legitimate uses,” Gomez stated. “But I don’t believe in the use of these drones for surveilling a protest, no matter if you disagree with what they’re protesting about, they shouldn’t be used for those purposes.”
Fox News reported that while the Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, it is not likely that the House of Representatives will move forward with the legislation under the current Republican majority.
