Anatomy of Consolidating Federal Power

A visual breakdown of recent federal deployments, the legal framework enabling them, and the deep ideological divides shaping the future of American governance.

The Federal Footprint

Recent federal actions have deployed thousands of personnel into major US cities, creating significant financial costs and raising questions about the intended scope of these interior enforcement operations.

• Forces Deployed in Los Angeles: Over 4,700 personnel, including ~4,000 National Guard troops and 700 U.S. Marines, were sent to Los Angeles during recent unrest. [1]
• Cost of LA Deployment: The Pentagon reported a cost of $134 million for this operation. [2]

A Department of Homeland Security memo requested 20,000 National Guard troops for immigration duties, with a focus on “sanctuary cities.” The chart below visualizes the proposed breakdown of their roles. [3]

type: doughnut
labels: ['Transportation Support', 'Fugitive Location', 'Detention Support', 'Other']
series:
  - title: Troop Allocation
    data: [10000, 3500, 2500, 4000]
tension: 0.2
width: 80%
labelColors: true

The Legal Arsenal

The authority for domestic military deployment rests on a complex and controversial legal foundation, primarily the Insurrection Act and related statutes, which grant the President extraordinary powers. [4]

Presidential Decision Flow

1. Domestic Unrest / Challenge to Federal Law
2. President Invokes Authority citing “Rebellion” or “Obstruction”
3. Chooses Legal Justification:
   • Insurrection Act
   • 10 U.S.C § 12406
4. Action: Deploy Federalized Forces

Legal Authority Comparison

Feature	Insurrection Act	10 U.S.C. § 12406
Primary Use	Suppress rebellion, enforce laws	Call National Guard to federal service
Forces	Active Duty & Federalized Guard	National Guard
Governor’s Role	Can be bypassed by President	Procedural role; legally debated
LA Deployment	Not explicitly invoked	Cited as standalone authority

A Republic Divided

Beyond executive actions, a deep ideological chasm is evident in competing visions for the U.S. Constitution, highlighted by two contrasting mock conventions.

The radar chart below contrasts the thematic focus of amendments proposed at a 2023 Republican-led mock convention versus a 2024 student-led model. The farther from the center, the greater the focus. [5]

type: radar
labels: ['Limit Federal Gov', 'Expand State Power', 'Expand Individual Rights', 'Reform Elections', 'Regulate Judiciary']
series:
  - title: 2023 GOP Mock Convention
    data: [9, 8, 2, 4, 6]
  - title: 2024 Student Model Convention
    data: [3, 2, 9, 8, 5]
tension: 0.2
width: 80%
fill: true
beginAtZero: false
bestFit: false
bestFitTitle: undefined
bestFitNumber: 0

Could these two opposing visions for the future actually be the polarizing direction we are heading in?

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Sources

1. LA National Guard and Marine deployment figures
2. Pentagon cost report
3. DHS Memo on National Guard for Immigration
4. Insurrection Act and 10 U.S.C. § 12406, Insurrection Act
5. Mock Convention Records, 2023-2024