Lynch, Pressley launch investigation into Trump administration’s drone surveillance of protesters

Jun 9, 2020 | Advancing Equality, National Security, News & Updates

Boston Herald 

By MARIE SZANISZLO | Boston Herald

U. S. Reps. Stephen F. Lynch and Ayanna Pressley, along with a group of other House Democrats, have launched an investigation into the Trump administration’s surveillance of people protesting last month’s killing of an African-American man by a white Minneapolis police officer.

“We write with grave concern about the use of Department of Homeland Security resources — including drones and armed uniformed officers — to surveil and intimidate peaceful protesters who were exercising their First Amendment rights to protest the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department,” the members of the Committee of Oversight and Reform wrote.

Lynch, writing as chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, and Pressley, a member of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, joined Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney of New York; Jamie Raskin of Maryland; and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding the Trump Administration explain its use of Customs and Border Patrol resources to conduct surveillance of people protesting George Floyd’s killing.

CBP admitted to flying a surveillance drone, commonly known as a “Predator B,” over protests in Minneapolis on May 29.  The drone reportedly was far outside the bounds of CBP’s jurisdiction.  Federal law authorizes CBP to conduct its missions within a “reasonable distance,” not to exceed more than 100 air miles inland, from an external boundary of the United States. 

“This Administration has undermined the First Amendment freedoms of Americans of all races who are rightfully protesting George Floyd’s killing,” the members wrote.  “The deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross abuse of authority and is particularly chilling when used against Americans who are protesting law enforcement brutality.”

DHS has also deployed armed uniformed officers to police protests in cities across the country, including the nation’s Capital, according to the letter.

The Congressional members asked that DHS provide a full accounting of its activities by Thursday, including a complete list of all jurisdictions where it policed protests, the full cost of those efforts and the legal authority permitting its intervention.