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Case Intel

• Sharp increase in politically and ideologically motivated violence nationwide renews debate over federal authority.
• Family Research Council reports 1,384 hostile acts against U.S. churches since 2018, with incidents nearly tripling since 2021.
• Legal scholars say the Insurrection Act grants presidents power to restore order when states fail to protect constitutional rights.

WASHINGTON, DC. - In a season marked by social tension and ideological polarization, new data show a troubling rise in violence against religious and political communities. The Family Research Council (FRC) documented 1,384 acts of hostility against churches between January 2018 and December 2024—ranging from vandalism and arson to bomb threats and armed assaults. Nearly 80 percent of these incidents occurred after 2021.

Legal observers say this surge, combined with high-profile attacks on faith institutions and political gatherings, has reignited debate over how and when a president can intervene to restore national stability. Many are once again examining the Insurrection Act, one of the most powerful—yet rarely used—tools available to the executive branch.

Understanding the Insurrection Act

The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C. §§ 331–335) provides the President authority to deploy federal forces to suppress rebellion or enforce federal law when ordinary measures fail. Its key provisions include:

• Section 331— Allows a state’s governor or legislature to request federal aid if an insurrection threatens its government.
• Section 332— Permits presidential deployment when “unlawful obstructions” or “rebellion” make it impracticable to enforce federal law through normal judicial means.
• Section 333— Enables the President to act without state request if domestic violence or conspiracy denies citizens their constitutional rights and local authorities “are unable, fail, or refuse to protect” them.

Historically, the Act was invoked by President Eisenhower to enforce desegregation in Little Rock (1957), by President Johnson during the Detroit riots (1967), and by President George H.W. Bush in Los Angeles (1992). Each time, the Act tested the balance between federal power and state sovereignty.

The Modern Legal Hurdles

In 2025, legal experts warn that invoking the Insurrection Act would face heightened judicial scrutiny. Courts, especially within the Ninth Circuit, could challenge the scope of presidential discretion under Section 333, arguing potential conflicts with the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

Still, courts have historically granted the executive wide latitude. Once the President issues a proclamation to disperse—a procedural step mandated under Section 334—federal forces may act until Congress or the judiciary intervenes.

Constitutional law experts describe this as “the gray zone of lawful controversy,” where federal authority and civil liberties meet in tension.