SCOTUS Broadens ‘Unreasonable Force’ Claims Against Police Officers
The U.S. Supreme Court issued two significant rulings Monday — one reshaping how courts evaluate claims of excessive force against police, and another involving President Donald J. Trump’s ongoing legal battle to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois amid rising unrest.
In a 6–3 decision, the Court ruled that judges must consider all circumstances surrounding a police encounter when deciding whether an officer used unreasonable force — not just the split-second moment of perceived threat.
The ruling stems from a 2016 case in Texas in which Ashtian Barnes, 24, was killed during a traffic stop after being pulled over by Officer Roberto Felix Jr. Barnes, who had been driving his girlfriend’s rental car with outstanding toll violations, allegedly began moving the vehicle forward as Felix stood beside it. The officer jumped onto the door sill and fired into the car, killing Barnes.
The justices were asked to determine whether courts should limit their review to the moment Felix feared for his life or evaluate the entire sequence of events. In a move that could broaden accountability for police departments, the Court rejected the so-called “moment of the threat” doctrine and directed lower courts to assess the “totality of the circumstances.”
“To assess whether an officer acted reasonably in using force, a court must consider all the relevant circumstances, including facts and events leading up to the climactic moment,” wrote Justice Elena Kagan in the majority opinion.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett, underscoring the need for consistency in applying standards to police use-of-force cases nationwide.
Trump Seeks Supreme Court Approval to Deploy National Guard in Illinois
In a separate and politically charged matter, President Donald J. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to allow him to deploy National Guard troops to Illinois, escalating a high-stakes constitutional showdown over the president’s authority to protect federal law enforcement from domestic unrest.
The emergency appeal follows rulings by a federal district judge and the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, both of which temporarily blocked Trump’s order to deploy approximately 700 Guard troops — 300 from Illinois and 400 from Texas — to the Chicago area.
In a filing to the Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the deployment is fully lawful under federal statutes that authorize the president to act when “rebellion” or “obstruction” prevents enforcement of U.S. law. He pointed to escalating violence outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, where protests have reportedly turned violent.
“When state and local authorities refuse to protect federal employees and property, the Constitution requires the president to ensure the laws are faithfully executed,” Sauer said.
The administration’s position rests on Section 12406 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which allows the president to federalize a state’s National Guard when local officials are unable or unwilling to maintain order. Illinois leaders, however, claim the move violates state sovereignty and constitutes an unconstitutional use of military force within state borders.
U.S. District Judge April Perry, a Biden appointee, rejected the administration’s justification earlier this month, claiming there was “no substantial evidence of rebellion” in Illinois. The appellate court largely upheld that ruling, saying the president must first demonstrate that state authorities are incapable of maintaining public safety before deploying troops.
Sauer criticized the lower courts for “indefensibly minimizing” the danger faced by federal agents, urging the justices to lift the injunction immediately to prevent “further endangerment of federal personnel.”
The Supreme Court has given Illinois and the city of Chicago until Monday to respond to the administration’s request.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise near the Broadview ICE facility, where federal officials say left-wing protesters have repeatedly clashed with law enforcement. The Trump administration maintains that Democratic-led states are failing to maintain order, leaving the federal government no choice but to intervene.