Latest news with #NORTHCOM
Fox News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Marines to begin operations in Los Angeles Friday, ahead of nationwide anti-Trump protests
Los Angeles residents may begin seeing Marines in the area as soon as Thursday, with protection operations in coordination with the National Guard set to begin Friday. The 700 Marines were reportedly sent by President Donald Trump to Seal Beach, which is south of L.A. County, to train for nonlethal weapons training—including hand-to-hand combat and crowd control. Seal Beach training recently finished, and the Marines have moved to "familiarization" training alongside the National Guard in Los Angeles, a U.S. defense official told Fox News. "They are finishing up training and transitioning to a mission-familiarization phase alongside the 79th IBCT," the official said Thursday. "So it's possible you'll start seeing Marines in the L.A. area today. They have NOT officially begun operations yet." More than 2,000 National Guardsmen are still stationed in L.A., as protests are expected to continue through the weekend. "No Kings" protests against President Donald Trump and the administration are slated to take place in thousands of cities across the U.S. on Saturday, as the nation's capitol hosts a military parade for the Army's 250th anniversary and Flag Day. The protests also coincide with the president's 79th birthday. Though the Marines, acting under NORTHCOM's direction, are only tasked with protecting federal property and law enforcement, the cost of the military endeavor has drawn criticism. Officials estimated sending the Marines and National Guard to California will cost taxpayers about $134 million, taking away from the operations and maintenance budget. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing that the troops were necessary to keep the city and its residents safe. "[It's] not about lethality. It's about maintaining law and order on behalf of law enforcement agents who deserve to do their job without being attacked by mobs of people," Hegseth said. "We are very proud that the National Guard and the Marines are on the streets defending the ICE agents, and they will continue." Despite legal challenges by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Hegseth said there is "plenty of precedent" for the U.S. supporting law enforcement officers.
Axios
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
Marines will deploy to LA protests this week after crowd control training
The 700 Marines sent to the Los Angeles area following days of protests have completed their training and will be join other troops within 48 hours of Wednesday, U.S. Northern Command said. The big picture: Another 2,000 National Guard members will be deployed alongside the 2,100 troops who have already been sent to Los Angeles, NORTHCOM said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has fiercely opposed the Trump administration's deployment of Guard members and Marines, challenging the president in court and online. Driving the news: The Marines' training included "de-escalation, crowd-control, and understanding the Standing Rules for the Use of Force," according to NORTHCOM. Context: Their mission is to protect federal personnel and property in the area, not to do "law enforcement functions." They "have accompanied ICE on missions, but they are not a part of the operations," per NORTHCOM. "They protect; they don't participate," the statement emphasized. Yes, but: The Trump administration says the National Guard can temporarily detain people in some cases. According to NORTHCOM, those circumstances include stopping an assault, preventing harm to others or halting interference with federal personnel. That detention would end when the individual can be "safely transferred" to the custody of appropriate civilian law enforcement. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, federal troops are barred from participating in civilian law enforcement, except when they are expressly authorized under law, per the Brennan Center for Justice. What they're saying: The Los Angeles Police Department declined to comment on whether it will coordinate with the Marines and National Guard in response to a question from Axios Wednesday. Zoom out: The protests have ignited demonstrations across the country denouncing the Trump administration's aggressive mass deportation push.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marines tasked with LA mission have not yet completed use of force and nonlethal training
The roughly 700 Marines recently ordered to deploy to Los Angeles have not yet completed training on less-than-lethal weapons and training on the Standing Rules for Use of Force, which governs the use of force for military personnel within the United States, said a spokesperson for U.S. Northern Command, or NORTHCOM. It is not yet clear when the Marines will complete the training, or when they will join NORTHCOM's Task Force 51, which is overseeing U.S. troops responding to the ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles, the spokesperson said. When U.S. troops operate domestically, they are bound by the Standing Rules for the Use of Force — which are more restrictive than wartime rules of engagement — and they must follow the same law and rules under the 4th Amendment as police, said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, a former military attorney. NORTHCOM announced on Sunday that the Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, had been told to be ready to deploy to Los Angeles to supplement National Guardsmen responding to immigration protests there. The Marines began receiving Standing Rules for Use of Force training from an operational law attorney with I Marine Expeditionary Force before deploying to Los Angeles, a Marine Corps official told Task & Purpose. Since the immigration protests began on June 7, President Donald Trump has federalized about 4,000 members of the National Guard to protect federal personnel and buildings. The Marines were ordered to deploy to Los Angeles on Monday. Typically, states activate their National Guard troops to conduct disaster relief or law enforcement missions when their governors deem it necessary, VanLandingham told Task & Purpose for a previous story. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits federal U.S. troops from enforcing U.S. laws on American soil unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act. Trump has not invoked the Insurrection Act, and he has only directed the federalized National Guard troops to protect federal personnel and buildings, VanLandingham said. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM, recently told the Los Angeles Times that the Marines do not have the authority to arrest people. 'They are not law enforcement officers, and they do not have the authority to make arrests,' Guillot told the newspaper. 'There are very unique situations where they could detain someone if detaining was necessary to defend, but they could only detain that person long enough to hand it off to a proper law enforcement official.' 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
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
About 700 Marines being mobilized in response to LA protests
LOS ANGELES — More than 700 Marines based out of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California have been mobilized to respond to the protests in Los Angeles, and the troops will join the thousands of National Guard members who were activated by President Donald Trump over the weekend without the consent of California's governor or LA's mayor. The deployment of the full Marine battalion marks a significant escalation in Trump's use of the military as a show of force against protesters, but it is still unclear what their specific task will be once in LA, sources told CNN. Like the National Guard troops, they are prohibited from conducting law enforcement activity such as making arrests unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, which permits the president to use the military to end an insurrection or rebellion of federal power. The Marines being activated are with 2nd battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine division, according to US Northern Command. The activation is 'intended to provide Task Force 51 with adequate numbers of forces to provide continuous coverage of the area in support of the lead federal agency,' NORTHCOM said in statement, referring to US Army north's contingency command post. One of the people familiar with the Marine mobilization said they will be augmenting the guard presence on the ground in LA. Approximately 1,700 National Guard members are now operating in the greater Los Angeles area, two days after Trump's Saturday memorandum deploying 2,000 service members, according to a statement from NORTHCOM. On Monday evening, the Pentagon announced that Trump ordered the deployment of an additional batch of 2,000 more National Guard members. It is unclear when the rest of the initial group, or the new troops announced Monday, would arrive in Los Angeles. The Marines are expected to bolster some of the guard members who have been deployed to LA in the last two days, this person while the person familiar stressed that the Marines were being deployed only to augment the forces already there, the image of US Marines mobilizing inside the United States will stand in contrast to National Guardsmen who more routinely respond to domestic issues. While some Marines have been assisting in border security at the southern border, one US official said Marines have not been mobilized within the US like they are in California now since the 1992 riots in Los the Marines' tasks have not been specified publicly, they could include assignments like crowd control or establishing perimeter security. Lawyers within the Defense Department are also still finalizing language around the use-of-force guidelines for the troops being mobilized, but the person familiar said it will likely mirror the military's standing rules of the use of Gov. Gavin Newsom described the involvement of Marines as 'unwarranted' and 'unprecedented.''The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented — mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens,' Newsom said in a statement linking to a news story about the Marines disputed the characterization as a 'deployment,' which the governor described as different from mobilization. US Northern Command said in their statement, however, that the Marines will 'seamlessly integrate' with National Guard forces 'protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area.'Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell called for 'open and continuous lines of communication' between all agencies responding to protests in the city ahead of the deployment of US said in a statement that his agency and other partner agencies have experience dealing with large-scale demonstrations and safety remains a top priority for communication will 'prevent confusion, avoid escalation, and ensure a coordinated, lawful, and orderly response during this critical time,' McDonnell stressed. — CNN
Yahoo
3 days 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
