Latest news with #Honoré
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
What Marines deploying to LA amid protests legally can, and cannot, do
Roughly 700 Marines have been ordered to deploy to Los Angeles to protect federal buildings and officials amid mounting immigration protests there, U.S. Northern Command, or NORTHCOM, announced on Monday. 'DoD military personnel on this mission are protecting property and personnel,' Air Force Capt. Mayrem Morales, a NORTHCOM spokesperson, told Task & Purpose. 'They are providing support to prevent the destruction or defacement of federal government property, including crowd control and establishment of security perimeters. These personnel are also protecting federal officials from harm or threat of bodily injury while those officials execute their duties.' The Marines are assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, which is based at Twentynine Palms, California, the Marine Corps' premier site for combat training. The battalion's mission includes preparing to take part in Unit Deployment Program rotations to the Western Pacific, according to the battalion's website. President Donald Trump has already federalized 2,100 members of the California National Guard in response to the protests, which began on June 6 following raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Los Angeles. The situation escalated on Sunday when thousands of protesters took to the streets. That same day, NORTHCOM announced that the Marines had been notified to prepare to deploy to Los Angeles in case they were needed. When asked why 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines would take part in the U.S. military's response to the Los Angeles protests and what capabilities it could bring to the mission, Marine Corps officials referred questions to NORTHCOM, which referred Task & Purpose back to the Marines. No information was immediately available about whether the battalion had conducted law enforcement training in the past two years. Generally speaking, Marine infantry units focus on lethal force as opposed to less-than-lethal force, so they are typically not trained or equipped to deal with civil disturbances, said retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who led military relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 'In this particular mission, they could supplement the Guard or work with them in the mission of protecting federal property and people,' Honoré told Task & Purpose on Monday. 'Just like we protect federal installations, we've got the authority to protect federal buildings and federal property. All of our installations are generally protected by soldiers either in the Military Police or shore patrol, and this is an extension of that.' Honoré also noted that because Trump has federalized the National Guard, those troops are not able to conduct law enforcement missions unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act, which allows federal troops to be deployed under certain circumstances, such as in response to a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Normally, National Guard troops are activated by authorities within their home state to conduct disaster relief or law enforcement missions when their governors deem it necessary, said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, a former military attorney. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits federal U.S. troops — including federalized National Guardsmen — from performing law enforcement duties on American soil, unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act, said VanLandingham, a law professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. In this case, Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act, and he has only directed the federalized National Guard troops to protect federal personnel and buildings, said VanLandingham, who teaches national security law and constitutional criminal procedure. The troops have not been authorized or directed to conduct arrests, searches, or seizures, which are classic law enforcement activities, she said. VanLandingham also questioned the usefulness of deploying Marines to protect federal buildings, particularly since California's governor has not requested federal support, and he could have deployed his state's National Guard to do so. 'That would be an extraordinary use of active-duty troops that has never been used before outside of Insurrection Act invocation,' VanLandingham. The last time a president invoked the Insurrection Act was in 1992, when President George H. W. Bush federalized the National Guard and activated soldiers with the 7th Infantry Division and Marines from the 1st Marine Division to respond to riots in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four police officers accused of beating motorist Rodney King. About 1,500 Marines from Camp Pendleton, California, were deployed to Los Angeles in 1992, and they were issued riot gear and given refresher training prior to their mission, retired Army Maj. Gen. James Delk, who oversaw the California National Guard's response to the riots, wrote in a 1995 Army case study of the riots. However, communications proved to be a challenge at times because Marines, soldiers, and police all use different terminologies, Delk wrote. In one incident, a squad of Marines accompanied police to a home in response to a domestic dispute. One of the police officers was hit when someone inside opened fire. 'His partner grabbed him and as he pulled him back he hollered to the Marines 'Cover me!'' Delk wrote. 'Now to a cop, that was very simple command. That means aim your rifle and use it if necessary. To a Marine, and there were some well-trained young patriots in that squad, it meant something entirely different. They instantly opened up. A mom, a dad, and three children occupied that house.' Police later found more than 200 bullet holes in the home, but thankfully no one inside was hit, Delk wrote. 'The point is, those great young Marines did exactly what they're trained to do, but not what the police thought they requested,' Delk wrote. 'You need to understand the differences in language.' When asked what steps NORTHCOM is taking to prevent similar misunderstandings from occurring during the current military response in Los Angeles, a command spokesperson said service members are trained to deescalate situations and always retain the right of self-defense to a 'hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent.' 'The safety and security of the men and women performing their duties is paramount,' the spokesperson said. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. A Marine Corps reply-all email apocalypse has an incredible real-life ending Army shuts down its sole active-duty information operations command Army plans to close more than 20 base museums in major reduction Former Green Beret nominated to top Pentagon position to oversee special ops The Navy's new recruiting commercial puts the 'dirt wars' in the past
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré talks preparedness, Hurricane Katrina's 20-year anniversary
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — June 1 is the start of hurricane season and forecasters predict above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin this year. Lieutenant General Russel Honoré was a key figure in the response to Hurricane Katrina. He spoke to residents about the importance of being prepared. 'We've got to take into account that on any given day, Mother Nature can break anything built by men,' Honoré said. 'Things will happen. We've got to be prepared to bounce back,' Jefferson Parish StormPrep 2025 event prepares residents for hurricane season Twenty years after Katrina, he said he is proud of the response from local leaders since then. As Honoré reflected on that horrible day in 2005, he said it was the worst disaster in terms of loss of life. 'The people who died were elderly, disabled and poor,' Honoré said. 'In some cases, all three. The majority of them were alone at home. How do we talk through the evacuation plan to make sure no one is left behind?' Hurricane Season 2025: A WGNO Special Program With uncertainty about how FEMA will respond to future recovery efforts, Honoré said it's up to those in the community to ensure that what happened in 2005 doesn't happen again. 'Be prepared to be your own first responder,' Honoré said. 'There's a burden on that person you look at in the morning to be prepared. And when you get prepared, how do you get your family and your friends ready? And don't forget your neighbors.' Despite the city's progress since Hurricane Katrina, he points out one critical issue that remains unresolved. 'That subsurface, the drainage, and the drinking water pipes still need to be addressed, 'Honoré said. 'We still got an issue with how we get the water out of the city during heavy rains. That infrastructure was not fixed, and it could be done better, in my estimate.'Trump team emphasizes immigration in Boulder response Woman, 64, in US legally for 50 years is detained by ICE for 3 months Louisiana Red Cross urges preparedness amid hurricane season La. proposed bill to criminalize 'intentional exposure' to STDs, advances Atmos Energy offers advice for natural gas safety during hurricane season Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Are you ready for a natural disaster? Gen. Honoré encourages preparation after lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—A retired Army general best known for his leadership during Hurricane Katrina, turned community and climate activist. He reminds Louisiana residents that preparation saves lives as summer heats up and hurricanes form. General Russel Honoré founded The Green Army after a massive sinkhole forced Louisiana residents from their homes in 2012 and a failed government response. Fast-forward to 2025, and Honoré is a leading voice in raising awareness of the climate crisis and how it contributes to weather-related disasters nationwide. In prior years, it was easy to believe that hurricanes were a coastal issue and flooding was reserved for lower-lying places. Honoré says times have changed: 'Preparedness has got to be a way of life in Louisiana and all over the country, because the storms are not just hurricanes; there are floods as well as tornadoes that can come or, in some cases, earthquakes, so we gotta be prepared.' Being prepared and having a plan for your family is critical. Whether the disaster happens where you live or it forces friends and loved ones to rely on you for support, Honoré says be your own first responder. Active hurricane season predicted for 2025 'People don't often think about the impacts of hurricanes, but, Shreveport gets a lot of weather. You get thunderstorms, you get tornadoes, you get flooding, and, if the storms really bad, you get a lot of people come to town because you're one of the destination cities for a lot of the people in South Louisiana. To go to and try to get reprieve if the storm comes in a certain direction. And I can't remember any storm that hit South Louisiana that had an impact Shreveport, either from people coming, or the residue from the storm, the heavy rains or winds that come with it.' Honoré says it isn't just weather events and natural disasters that stress people and resources to the brink. Failing infrastructure and utility outages can make the situation worse. 'On any given day, Mother Nature can break anything built by man. You can get a strong storm and take the power grid out. If we lose power for 12 hours, that's a disaster. We all know that. 36 hours, we're really in trouble because we had to start evacuating people if the grid goes down.' The retired general turned climate change commander said that, after Hurricane Katrina, then-President George W. Bush had the idea to create a culture of preparedness in America. However, the idea did not catch on as the former president had hoped. Over time, people have moved further and further away from the concept, even though storms have intensified and moved with less predictability since 2005. More Louisiana News Honoré highlighted many factors that contribute to people's ill-preparedness for natural disasters—the most significant are poverty, age, and mobility. We've got to pay better attention to those people that need extra help, the elderly, the disabled, and the poor, that may not have the means to leave, or they don't have the current information,' Honoré said. 'That's not so. And many of them don't have the mental capacity in some cases to do it, but that was representative of who we found dead in the homes. They were elderly, disabled, and poor, they were by themselves. And that's a lesson to learn, to check on our neighbors before we leave if we got to evacuate.' Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced in March that the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) will be managed by the Louisiana National Guard, a move that Honoré supports. 'The good news is our National Guard is well-trained, well-equipped, and they spend months getting ready for hurricane season. The National Guard in Louisiana shows up with boats, itty bitty boats, and trucks, and they are well organized, and the support battalion is out.' He said the Louisiana National Guard troops' training for emergency preparedness is unmatched. 'The big thing is to be prepared, have your 3 to 5 day supply of food and water, because you can lose water or you can lose part of the grid any time. You all know that (in) Shreveport all the time. You have water issues. The grid goes down, or you lose power. But the idea is to be prepared – ' Hurricane Preparedness Week,' Honoré said. He suggests gathering essential documents, such as insurance policies and other documents, that you must submit for insurance or FEMA claims. Another critical note from General Honoré is to develop resilience, he believes our reliance on technology and speed have made it harder for Americans to withstand natural disasters and the hard days of recovery and rebuilding that follow. 'Our great-grandparents learned how to do that because they knew there was nobody coming if there was a problem. We got to be prepared and we got to teach that to our children, because when these disasters come, there's no instant solution when the grid goes down, because much of what we do is depending on the grid for information.' For more information on resources or to learn which essential items you need to be disaster-ready, contact the Red Cross or visit your parish website to stay updated on emergency information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
