Calif. cities defend recruiter ban - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Calif. cities defend recruiter ban

EUREKA, Calif. — Two California cities are defending voter-approved measures banning military recruitment of minors.

In November, voters in Arcata and Eureka overwhelmingly passed measures called the Youth Protection Act.

The government quickly sued, saying the cities can’t regulate the activities of federal authorities. Government attorneys also argue that military recruiting serves a vital national interest.

Legal experts agree the measures aren’t likely to hold up in court. U.S. District Judge Saundra Armstrong canceled oral arguments scheduled for Tuesday, saying she’d issue a ruling based on court filings.

But lawyers for the cities say the case gives them a chance to air concerns about U.S. compliance with a 2002 international treaty that they say bans children under 17 from being recruited by armed forces.