NSL4A Leaders Warn NYC Council of Alarming Federal Overreach and Improper National Guard Use

Retired Brigadier General Loree Sutton and former DoD official Jason Forrester testify at New York City Council hearing on “Protecting New York City from Federal Overreach.”

November 20, 2025

New York, NY National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) today announced that two of its members testified before the New York City Council Committee on Governmental Operations, State & Federal Legislation, warning of dangerous federal overreach and the growing misuse of the National Guard in U.S. cities.

Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Loree Sutton and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Jason W. Forrester offered expert testimony focused on the Guard’s proper role in national defense, state authority, and the protection of civil liberties. The hearing, titled “Protecting New York City from Federal Overreach,” took place Thursday morning.

“Federal overreach is far from theoretical—we have already seen the opening moves in cities across the nation, including improper use of the National Guard for routine policing,” said General Sutton. Adding, “ This dangerous overreach undercuts military readiness, flouts the rule of law, and does nothing to address the root causes of crime.” 

Forrester warned that federal proposals and recent actions point to a shift toward normalized military involvement in domestic policing. “Misusing the National Guard to police our streets is dangerous to our democracy, ineffective at reducing crime, and potentially unlawful.” Drawing from his experience overseeing personnel and readiness for 1.1 million Guard and Reserve members at the Pentagon, Forrester detailed three core risks:

• Danger to Democratic Norms

• Ineffectiveness at Addressing Crime

• Legally Dubious

“Ordinary crime does not meet the legal thresholds under the Insurrection Act,” he said, adding that “out-of-state deployments without gubernatorial consent violate state sovereignty.”

“NSL4A is proactively engaging with state and local officials,” said Dr. Kimberly McClain, NSL4A’s co-chair for Government Affairs, adding, “We want to help educate and inform them and their constituents on the proper use of the military for domestic purposes.” 

NSL4A has been a leading voice in addressing the use of the National Guard in U.S. cities. It has issued numerous statements raising concerns about the need and legality of deploying the Guard in Los Angeles. Washington, DC, and Portland, OR. Its past statements on the deployment of the National Guard are available on the NSL4A website.

Forrester closed his testimony by telling the council, “New York City deserves real public-safety solutions—not a military occupation. Domestic use of the military must not outpace the law.”

Transcripts of their testimony can be found at: https://www.nsl4a.org/member-voices/protecting-new-york-city-from-federal-overreach