What event involved federal marshals raiding the homes of suspected radicals across 32 cities in 1920?

The Palmer Raids were a series of government actions led by U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer in 1920, targeting individuals suspected of radical leftist activities, particularly anarchists and communists. These raids were conducted in response to a perceived threat of a growing socialist movement in the wake of World War I and the Russian Revolution. The raids involved federal marshals conducting searches and arrests without warrants, resulting in the detention of thousands of individuals, many of whom were immigrants. This event illustrates the broader Red Scare, a period marked by widespread fear of communism and radical political movements, and it raises important discussions about civil liberties and government overreach during times of national crisis.

Other responses reference significant historical legislation and events, but they are not related to the specific actions taken against suspected radicals in 1920. The National Labor Relations Act focused on labor rights, Prohibition Enforcement pertains to the banning of alcohol, and the Espionage Act dealt with spying and wartime security, none of which describe the series of raids conducted under Palmer. Thus, the Palmer Raids directly address the question regarding the federal marshals' actions across the United States during this tumultuous era.