Trump adviser Stephen Miller referenced Dothan during a national press briefing Monday while discussing how different parts of the country might respond to federal law enforcement or National Guard deployments.
Miller said if federal officers were stationed in a city like Dothan, “nobody would throw rocks at them … they’d say hello, good morning, maybe get them a cup of coffee,” contrasting that response with protests seen in larger cities such as Portland, Oregon.
He argued that the National Guard is being sent “reactively” to protect federal officers, not to provoke unrest. A federal judge has since blocked the president’s order to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard troops.
While officials in Alabama have recently discussed public safety concerns in cities like Montgomery and Birmingham, no plans have been announced to deploy federal troops to Dothan or the Wiregrass region.
