Latest news with #nationaldefense
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Department of Defense expands militarised zone along Texas border
The US Department of Defense is significantly expanding a militarised zone along the southern border in Texas, granting troops the authority to detain individuals for potential federal prosecution on charges of trespassing within a national defence area. The Air Force announced on Monday the annexation of a winding 250-mile (400-kilometre) stretch of the border. This expansion comes amid a broader buildup of military forces initiated under President Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border. This newly designated national defence area, running along the Rio Grande, spans two Texas counties and borders cities including Brownsville and McAllen. It will be treated as an extension of Joint Base San Antonio. The Air Force has stated its readiness to immediately install warning signs prohibiting entry into the zone. The military strategy was pioneered in April along a 170-mile (275-kilometer) stretch of the border in New Mexico and expanded to a swath of western Texas in May. Hunters, hikers and humanitarian aid groups fear that they will no longer have access. In the newest national defense area, military responsibilities include 'enhanced detection and monitoring' and "temporarily detaining trespassers until they are transferred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities,' the Air Force said in a news release. At least three people have been directly detained by troops in New Mexico for processing by Border Patrol. More than 1,400 immigrants have been charged with incursions into the national defense areas, a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to 18 months in prison. Court challenges to the charges have met with mixed results. The militarized border zone is a counterpoint to the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles following protests over Trump's stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws. The troop deployments are testing the limits of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil. Arrests at the border for illegal entry have decreased dramatically this year.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump administration expands military's role at the border to the southern tip of Texas
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Department of Defense is expanding a militarized zone along the southern U.S. border where troops are authorized to detain people who enter for federal prosecution on charges of trespassing in a national defense area. The Air Force on Monday announced the annexation of a serpentine 250-mile (400-kilometer) stretch of the border in Texas amid a buildup of military forces under President Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border. The newly designated national defense area along the Rio Grande spans two Texas counties and runs alongside cities, including Brownsville and McAllen. It will be treated as an extension of Joint Base San Antonio. The Air Force said it's prepared to install warning signs immediately against entry to the area. The military strategy was pioneered in April along a 170-mile (275-kilometer) stretch of the border in New Mexico and expanded to a swath of western Texas in May. Hunters, hikers and humanitarian aid groups fear that they will no longer have access. In the newest national defense area, military responsibilities include 'enhanced detection and monitoring' and 'temporarily detaining trespassers until they are transferred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities,' the Air Force said in a news release. At least three people have been directly detained by troops in New Mexico for processing by Border Patrol. More than 1,400 immigrants have been charged with incursions into the national defense areas, a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to 18 months in prison. Court challenges to the charges have met with mixed results. The militarized border zone is a counterpoint to the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles following protests over Trump's stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws. The troop deployments are testing the limits of the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from conducting civilian law enforcement on U.S. soil. Arrests at the border for illegal entry have decreased dramatically this year.
Fox News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
I led National Guard and regular Army units. Using the military to intimidate Americans is 100% wrong
For over 35 years, I served our nation in both the regular Army and National Guard. I served as both a part-time citizen soldier and full-time Title 10 officer after being mobilized in September 2001. In my career, I've had the distinct honor to lead both active duty and National Guard organizations, as well as soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. I have also stood in Red Square in Moscow, Tiananmen Square in China and the edge of the DMZ in North Korea. I have seen how some countries focus significant portions of their military inside their own nations to implement domestic policies and maintain control. Two weeks ago – in a series of actions that brought us a little closer to that reality – the president sent the National Guard to America's second-largest city over the objections of the state's governor. Almost immediately after, he ordered active-duty Marines to go to the city. And on June 14, we saw service members ride tanks and march in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army. These actions – as seen through my previous role as the No. 2 person in the National Guard Bureau – worry me greatly. I am concerned that the administration is transitioning the military's role from national defense to law enforcement. From protection to intimidation. This transition is a dramatic misuse of power and could lead to disastrous legal, operational and ethical outcomes. First, by sending the military to police our own citizens, we lose a needed separation between the military and our civilian population. The military is designed and trained to defend against external threats, not police its own citizens. The Posse Comitatus Act specifically limits the military's role in domestic law enforcement and, for good reason – to keep military operations separate from civilian policing. This separation is fundamental to who we are as freedom-loving Americans. The U.S. military is the best trained in the world for its warfighting mission, but it is neither trained nor equipped for immigration enforcement, immigration detention or civilian arrests. This latest move only increases legal and ethical jeopardy for troops and further endangers the rights of the people of Los Angeles – all while risking the absolute worst. Second, the administration's deployment of the military against protests undermines the readiness of our entire armed forces, pulling resources away from critical defense priorities. National Guard units are composed of community members who signed up to serve their respective neighbors. They respond to hurricanes, flooding, forest fires and more. By sending or threatening to send National Guard units across the country simply for constitutionally enshrined protests, we risk moving these units away from what they are designed to act on. The Trump administration didn't just send the National Guard. They sent active-duty Marines as well. Utilizing military assets to put down protests and assist immigration enforcement officers detracts from the military's core mission: national defense. There are real threats abroad, and with our military involved in 160 countries across the globe, we must ensure that we're prioritizing the time and money of the armed forces efficiently. The Pentagon already publicly stated that this deployment will cost $134 million, and that's just the beginning. In fact, the unintended effects of this oversight are already clear: service members are sleeping on the floor at night. Yes, these actions taken by the president in the last few weeks are logistically and legally dubious. But there's a bigger problem at hand. They were taken primarily to intimidate and suppress speech, as well as undermine a governor. By using the military in this way, the president is misusing his power, both tamping down on free speech and usurping states' rights. The Trump administration didn't just send the National Guard. They sent active-duty Marines as well. Utilizing military assets to put down protests and assist immigration enforcement officers detracts from the military's core mission: national defense. It doesn't matter if it's a blue state or a red state, an American president should not send in the military to suppress political opposition at home. By acting like this, the government risks breaking the trust between our military members and our communities. Let's be crystal clear: those who commit violence must be held accountable. But at the same time, the right to peaceful demonstration and free speech must be protected. Nothing better demonstrates this point than the image of a U.S. senator being handcuffed and manhandled for voicing his opposition to the president's actions. No matter what your views, we're proud to live in a country where people have constitutional rights – such as the rights to free speech and due process under law. Matter of fact: it's why many of us sign up to serve. My own family is proud to have served to defend these exact rights. My grandfather served in the Navy in World War II, my father in the Army in Vietnam, and my son in the Air Force in Afghanistan, flying search and rescue missions. The president is taking actions that we and millions of other veterans have stood against, and it's abundantly clear that his attempts to use the military to intimidate Americans is wrong, and it must end.
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Very, very scary': China is ‘weaponising' rare earth metals and has secured a monopoly
Victory Metals Chief Executive Brendan Clark says China is 'weaponising' rare earth metals and has now secured a monopoly. 'It's embarrassing, actually, what's happened, China's thirty years ahead of us, they started this in the 80s, 90s, and they are weaponising rare earths and they've got a monopoly,' Mr Clark told Sky News host Ed Boyd. 'It's very, very, scary that one country as powerful as China has such a monopoly on the rare earths space that we need in our everyday lives and for our national defence.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklo Inc (OKLO) – Jumps 30% After New Government Deal
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) stands against other best-performing stocks on Wednesday. Oklo Inc. soared by 29.48 percent on Wednesday to finish at $68.03 apiece after it was selected by the US Air Force to deploy its advanced Aurora powerhouse to its military base in Alaska. In a statement, Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) said the project serves as the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) microreactor pilot to enhance energy resilience and reliability for critical national security infrastructure. Under the terms of the agreement, Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) will design, construct, own, and operate the power plant at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. 'This Notice of Intent to Award reflects continued confidence in Oklo's ability to deliver clean and secure energy solutions for mission-critical infrastructure,' said Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. An aerial view of a power plant, symbolizing the company's investments in energy infrastructure sector. 'We are honored to support national defense resilience objectives while demonstrating the value of U.S.-pioneered fast reactor technology,' he added. Overall, OKLO ranks 1st on our list of best-performing stocks on Wednesday. While we acknowledge the potential of OKLO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
