Marines on US Soil: Navigating New Frontiers

The Pentagon is rushing to establish guidelines for Marines potentially using force on American soil amid immigration protests in Los Angeles. As 700 Marines deploy, questions arise about engaging citizens. Officials are crafting guidelines for civilian detentions while safeguarding federal property without invoking the Insurrection Act.

The Pentagon is urgently formulating rules for Marines who might face the complex scenario of using force domestically due to active duty troop deployment in Los Angeles against immigration protests.

The US Northern Command is sending 700 Marines from Twentynine Palms, California, to support 4,100 National Guard members already in the area. Their training focuses on de-escalation, crowd control, and rules for force usage. Yet, differentiating their combat experience in places like Syria and Afghanistan from this new role remains challenging. Armed with service weapons and protective gear, their instructions are to de-escalate situations, yet act in self-defense if necessary.

Amid legal ambiguities, the Pentagon is crafting a memo outlining Marines' actions to protect federal assets without resorting to the rarely used Insurrection Act, a legal framework enabling troop engagement in civil unrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)