Latest news with #Northcom
The Hill
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Marines detain first civilian in LA amid immigration raid protests
U.S. Marines deployed to Los Angeles on Friday for the first time detained a civilian as part of a protest against federal immigration raids, U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) confirmed to The Hill. The Marines 'temporarily detained a civilian earlier today,' Northcom said in a statement, adding that forces may temporarily detain an individual in specific circumstances under Title 10. 'The temporary detention ends immediately when the individual(s) can be safely transferred to the custody of appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel,' the statement noted. The incident reportedly took place at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles, where Marines earlier on Friday were charged with protecting the building. Images circulated on social media showed Marines apprehending a man with his hands zip-tied behind his back Reuters reported that the man, identified as Marcos Leao, 27, was handed over to civilians from the Department of Homeland Security. Marcos, an Army veteran, told reporters that he was on his way to an office of the Department of Veterans Affairs when he crossed a yellow tape boundary and was asked to stop. Around 200 Marines armed with rifles, riot control equipment and gas masks have been deployed to the streets of Los Angeles to join the more than 2,000 California National Guard troops already there. The service members, tasked with protecting federal property and personnel, will be joined by an additional 500 Marines and 2,000 Guard soldiers meant to accompany ICE agents on raids, according to officials. While the troops are authorized to detain people, they are not allowed to arrest them, as the Posse Comitatus Act largely forbids the U.S. military from taking part in civilian law enforcement.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marines deployed near LA have not completed training on use of force, nonlethal weapons
The 700 Marines mobilized to the Los Angeles area on Monday have not yet completed pre-mission training as of Wednesday morning, with no clear picture yet as to whether they will be deployed on the ground, a U.S. Northern Command official confirmed to The Hill. The Marines 'are still conducting pre-mission training and they have not been employed by Task Force 51, the DoD command element in Los Angeles,' a Northcom spokesperson said in a statement. 'I do not have an estimate of when they will be employed.' The training includes standing rules for the use of force and the use of nonlethal weapons. The spokesperson added that no other active-duty Marines have been deployed to other locations and cities at this time. Like the 4,000 California National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles to quell largely peaceful protests against the Trump administration's immigration raids, 'these Marines will protect federal functions, personnel, and property, which includes accompanying federal personnel on missions,' they added. The new statement stands in contrast to a Northcom statement from yesterday, which said the Marines had already been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force. The same day, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said the Marines had received 'in excess of two hours' of the training, and that they would have shields and batons as their equipment. U.S. Army Major General Scott Sherman also told reporters that the Marines are still undergoing 'civil disturbance training and the standing rules of force training.' He also revealed that Guard troops will be able to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents step in to arrest them. 'They are strictly there to detain, to wait for law enforcement to come and handle those demonstrators,' Sherman said. Criticism is growing among Democrats as to the legality of President Trump's decision to deploy U.S. service members to Los Angeles, calling the decision a wildly out-of-proportion response to the situation. 'You are deploying the American military to police the American people; you are sending the National Guard into California without the governor's request, sending the Marines not after foreign threats, but after American protesters,' Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during an Appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday. 'Threatening to use our own troops on our own citizens at such scale is unprecedented, it is unconstitutional, and it is downright un-American,' she continued. Trump, meanwhile, has doubled down on his decision to deploy troops, insisting it is constitutionally legal while calling out California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for not ensuring federal agents were protected. 'The INCOMPETENT Governor of California was unable to provide protection in a timely manner when our Ice Officers, GREAT Patriots they are, were attacked by an out of control mob of agitators, troublemakers, and/or insurrectionists,' Trump wrote on Truth Social early Wednesday. Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth has repeatedly defended the decision to deploy Marines to Los Angeles, including in testimony to Congress. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Marines deployed near LA have not completed training on use of force, nonlethal weapons
The 700 Marines mobilized to the Los Angeles area on Monday have not yet completed pre-mission training as of Wednesday morning, with no clear picture yet as to whether they will be deployed on the ground, a U.S. Northern Command official confirmed to The Hill. The Marines 'are still conducting pre-mission training and they have not been employed by Task Force 51, the DoD command element in Los Angeles,' a Northcom spokesperson said in a statement. 'I do not have an estimate of when they will be employed.' The training includes standing rules for the use of force and the use of nonlethal weapons. The spokesperson added that no other active-duty Marines have been deployed to other locations and cities at this time. Like the 4,000 California National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles to quell largely peaceful protests against the Trump administration's immigration raids, 'these Marines will protect federal functions, personnel, and property, which includes accompanying federal personnel on missions,' they added. The new statement stands in contrast to a Northcom statement from yesterday, which said the Marines had already been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force. The same day, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said the Marines had received 'in excess of two hours' of the training, and that they would have shields and batons as their equipment. U.S. Army Major General Scott Sherman also told reporters that the Marines are still undergoing 'civil disturbance training and the standing rules of force training.' He also revealed that Guard troops will be able to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents step in to arrest them. 'They are strictly there to detain, to wait for law enforcement to come and handle those demonstrators,' Sherman said. Criticism is growing among Democrats as to the legality of President Trump's decision to deploy U.S. service members to Los Angeles, calling the decision a wildly out-of-proportion response to the situation. 'You are deploying the American military to police the American people; you are sending the National Guard into California without the governor's request, sending the Marines not after foreign threats, but after American protesters,' Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during an Appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday. 'Threatening to use our own troops on our own citizens at such scale is unprecedented, it is unconstitutional, and it is downright un-American,' she continued. Trump, meanwhile, has doubled down on his decision to deploy troops, insisting it is constitutionally legal while calling out California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for not ensuring federal agents were protected. 'The INCOMPETENT Governor of California was unable to provide protection in a timely manner when our Ice Officers, GREAT Patriots they are, were attacked by an out of control mob of agitators, troublemakers, and/or insurrectionists,' Trump wrote on Truth Social early Wednesday. Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth has repeatedly defended the decision to deploy Marines to Los Angeles, including in testimony to Congress.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Los Angeles braces for arrival of more troops in ‘crisis of Trump's own making'
Los Angeles was bracing for new troop arrivals on Tuesday after a quieter night following days of protests over federal immigration raids on local businesses and the Trump administration's decision to deploy soldiers against US residents. The initial deployment of 300 national guard troops is expected to quickly expand to the full 4,000 that has been authorized by Donald Trump, with an additional 700 marines who could begin arriving on Tuesday. The US Northern Command, or Northcom, said in a statement on Monday that marines from the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division 'will seamlessly integrate' with forces 'who are protecting federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area'. Related: 'The language of authoritarianism': how Trump and allies cast LA as a lawless city needing military intervention Northcom added that the forces had been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force – and that approximately 1,700 soldiers from the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a California national guard unit, were already in the greater Los Angeles area. The national guard and marine detachments were being dispatched to the US's second largest city over the objections of California's governor, Gavin Newsom, and local officials. The state is suing the Trump administration over the deployment, claiming the president illegally federalized the national guard to confront protesters in Los Angeles. California's attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Monday that the state's sovereignty was 'trampled'. But Trump countered that his administration had 'no choice' but to send in troops. The national guard are not believed to be involved in crowd control but assigned to protect federal property. 'If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great city would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. do to an incompetent Governor and Mayor,' Trump posted to Truth Social early on Tuesday, referring to the response to wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles county late last year. Trump later deleted that post and published another with the correct spelling of 'due'. But the deployment is strongly opposed by California Democrats – as well as every Democratic governor in the US. Senator Alex Padilla told the Associated Press on Tuesday that protests against the US's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as well as the subsequent legal showdown between his state and the government 'is absolutely a crisis of Trump's own making'. 'There are a lot of people who are passionate about speaking up for fundamental rights and respecting due process, but the deployment of national guard only serves to escalate tensions and the situation,' Padilla said. 'It's exactly what Donald Trump wanted to do.' Padilla said the Los Angeles sheriff's department had not been advised of the federalization of the national guard. He said his office had pressed the Pentagon for a justification, and 'as far as we're told, the Department of Defense isn't sure what the mission is here'. 'Los Angeles is no stranger to demonstrations and protests and rallies and marches,' Padilla added. 'Local law enforcement knows how to handle this and has a rapport with the community and community leaders to be able to allow for that.' The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, signaled support on his personal X account for deploying troops to California. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty US Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' he posted on X. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers – even if Gavin Newsom will not.' On Tuesday Hegseth testified before the House appropriations subcommittee on defense. The meeting was expected to focus on the nearly $1tn budget request for 2026, but Democrats were quick to question the defense secretary on the controversial move to deploy national guard and marines to LA. Under questioning from Peter Aguilar, US representative for California's 33rd congressional district, Hegseth said national guard and federal forces had been sent into a 'deteriorating situation with equipment and capabilities'. 'We here to maintain the peace on behalf of law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, which Gavin Newsom won't do,' he said. Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, asked the secretary about the cost of the deployment, and what training and other duties the troops were missing because of their presence in Los Angeles. Hegseth said in response that Ice 'has the right to safely conduct operations in any state and any jurisdiction in the country'. 'The police chief said she was overwhelmed, so we helped.' Jim McDonnell, the LA police chief, said on Monday that the department and its local partners have decades of experiencing responding to large-scale demonstrations and that they were confident in their ability to continue doing so. 'The arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles, absent clear coordination, presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,' he said.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon to deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles
The U.S. military is set to temporarily move about 700 Marines to Los Angeles, further increasing military presence in the city after the Trump administration ordered 2,000 California National Guard troops there over the weekend, U.S. Northern Command announced Monday. The command has activated the Marine infantry battalion that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth placed on prepare to deploy orders over the weekend amid ongoing protests against raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a Northcom statement. Approximately 700 Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, based out of Twentynine Palms in California, 'will seamlessly integrate' with the National Guard troops already deployed to Los Angeles to protect federal personnel and property, Northcom said. The command noted that the Marines had been 'trained in de-escalation, crowd control, and standing rules for the use of force.' Hegseth in a post on X later noted the deployment, attributing it to increased threats to federal officers and buildings. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' he wrote before taking a shot at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers – even if Gavin Newsom will not,' he concluded. It is not clear if the Marines will actually be placed on the ground or if they will remain on standby, though Newsom's press office said it was their understanding that the service members are not being deployed as there is a difference between that and being mobilized. In a statement posted to X, Newsom's press office also bashed the movement of Marines as 'mobilizing the best in class branch of the U.S. military against its own citizens.' 'The level of escalation is completely unwarranted, uncalled for, and unprecedented,' the office added. The move is likely to further inflame tensions between California officials and the Trump administration, which have locked horns over how to respond to protests in Los Angeles and surrounding suburbs against federal immigration raids. President Trump has insisted the deployment – only the second time in the past 60 years that a U.S. president has mobilized a state's National Guard troops without the consent of its governor – is necessary to stop protests against ICE. 'The people that are causing the problem are professional agitators. They're insurrectionists. They're bad people. They should be in jail,' Trump told reporters on Monday. Trump also on Monday said he'd support the arrest of Newsom. But Newson has accused the Pentagon of 'lying to the American people' in justifying deploying service members within the state, asserting that the situation intensified only when the U.S. military deployed troops. Newsom has formally demanded the Trump administration pull the National Guard troops off the streets, and California has sued the Trump administration over what its officials say is an 'unlawful' deployment. This story was updated at 6:31 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
