EL PASO, Texas — Waving cardboard crowns crossed out in red paint and chanting “Stop the madness,” more than 400 demonstrators filled San Jacinto Plaza on Sunday to protest what they called the White House’s “king-like” control over U.S. military action.
The two-hour rally, billed as the “No Kings” march, came amid renewed speculation that Washington could launch limited strikes on Iranian targets following last week’s drone attack that killed three American soldiers in Jordan. Organizers said the event was intended to pressure lawmakers to reclaim war-making authority under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
“Our Constitution was written to prevent one person from dragging an entire nation into conflict,” veteran and keynote speaker Raul Cárdenas told the crowd. “Congress has to act before more of our sons and daughters are placed in harm’s way.”
El Paso police estimated attendance at “between 350 and 450,” a figure consistent with video reviewed by the El Paso Times. The gathering remained peaceful, and officers reported no arrests.
Local immigrant-rights coalition Border Voices coordinated the rally alongside Veterans for Peace and several university student groups. Organizers said El Paso’s proximity to Fort Bliss — one of the Army’s largest installations, with about 30,000 active-duty personnel — made the city a natural venue. Speakers read the names of soldiers from the base who have died in post-9/11 conflicts.
The demonstration follows a bipartisan House resolution introduced Friday by Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, that would require congressional approval for any combat operations lasting longer than 30 days. Similar bills have stalled in previous sessions, but analysts say mounting public fatigue with overseas deployments could improve its prospects.
Administration officials insist the president retains the right to respond swiftly to protect U.S. forces. “Any future military action will be measured, lawful and in self-defense,” a senior defense official said Saturday, declining to comment on timing.
Across the plaza, a handful of counter-protesters held signs reading “Deterrence Saves Lives” and accused organizers of “handcuffing” the military. “If we wait for Congress, more Americans could die,” said Angela Ramos, whose husband serves with the 1st Armored Division.
Policy analysts note that El Paso’s rally mirrors similar gatherings in Seattle, Atlanta and Philadelphia over the past week, signaling a nascent national movement. “We’re watching a revival of the war-powers debate that flared during Syria in 2013 and Iraq in 2002,” said Matthew Costello, a fellow at the non-partisan Quincy Institute.
Whether public pressure translates into legislation remains uncertain. The House measure must first clear the Rules Committee, and Senate leadership has given no indication of scheduling a vote. In the meantime, organizers pledged to keep the issue in the spotlight. “Today is just the beginning,” Border Voices director Sofia Aguilar told supporters as the crowd dispersed. “We’ll be back here every month until Congress hears us.”
If lawmakers do take up the bill, observers say it could redefine executive-legislative balance on national security for the first time in half a century — and test voter appetite for a more restrained foreign policy in an election year.