A segment on the 06/13/25 edition of CNN’s Outfront w/Erin Burnett show featured a video showing a U.S. Marine detaining a man outside a federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. You’ll remember that the Trump administration recently sent U.S. Marines to downtown Los Angeles to deal with riots stemming from aggressive immigration practices of Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Per Outfront host Erin Burnett, it was unclear at the time they aired this video, the circumstances that led to this man’s detention by the Marine. The detention however, has naturally ignited a huge debate about the Posse Comitatus Act, which on its face, appears to prohibit any use of the military on U.S. soil for law enforcement purposes.
To be clear, this is a question that has percolated in legal circles for decades, especially as it relates to counterterrorism operations following the 9/11 attacks. This case in Los Angeles now presents a perfect opportunity for a Posse Comitatus lawsuit which hopefully, will result in the Supreme Court settling this burning legal question once and for all.
