Gov. Landry asks for deployment of 1,000 Guardsmen to assist Louisiana ‘public safety concerns’

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Gov. Jeff Landry on Monday (Sept. 29) said he has formally requested the deployment of 1,000 federally-funded Louisiana National Guard troops to help address “ongoing public safety concerns” throughout the state.

Landry made the announcement during an appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News Channel. He said his request for federal assistance had been submitted to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

The timing and location of the troop deployment was not immediately detailed, but President Donald Trump in recent weeks had mused publicly about wanting to place the military on the streets of New Orleans.

“Since taking office, we have made real progress in driving down crime across Louisiana — but the job is far from finished,“ Landry said in a subsequent press release. ”Federal partnerships in our toughest cities have worked, and now, with the support of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we are taking the next step by bringing in the National Guard.

“This mission is about saving lives and protecting families. To the criminals terrorizing our communities: Your time is up. Law and order are back in Louisiana.”

Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, called the request a gross abuse of power.

“The National Guard is supposed to protect our state during real emergencies, not to serve as political props,” Odoms said in her statement. “Flooding the cities we love with military troops is dangerous and would make people afraid to go about their daily lives.

“Safe communities are built by investing in our communities. Instead, Gov. Landry and President Trump are gutting essential programs that keep us safe, seeking to deploy troops into our streets, and allowing armed and masked federal agents who are untrained in community policing to terrorize our communities.”

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Landry’s letter to Hegseth asked that the Guard troops be activated under Title 32 of United States Code Section 502(f) “through the end of Fiscal Year 2026.”

“This deployment, under the command of the Adjutant General, would support state and federal law enforcement agencies in addressing ongoing public safety concerns regarding high crime rates throughout the state.”

Landry wrote that Louisiana “currently faces a convergence of elevated violent crime rates in Shreveport, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, coupled with critical personnel shortages within local law enforcement.”

Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said his personnel were beginning to start coordination with law enforcement partners.

“We will carry out our duties with honor and treat all with dignity and respect,” Friloux said in a statement. “‘Protect what matters’ is our motto, and protecting our citizens from crime fits within our primary mission.”

The statement from a Guard spokesman added, “No two Louisiana areas or cities are the same and each will require a specific operational approach tailored to their current situation.”

The Metropolitan Crime Commission and New Orleans Police Department have provided statistics showing a sharp decline in most violent crime in the city compared to a year ago. But with eight homicides in recent days, the crime watchdog acknowledged New Orleans just endured its deadliest week of crime since the Jan. 1 terror attack on Bourbon Street.

“The proposed mission and scope for the Louisiana National Guard would be to deploy throughout the state to urban centers, supplement law enforcement presence in high-crime areas, provide logistical and communication support, and secure critical infrastructure,” Landry wrote in his letter to Hegseth. “All operations will adhere to established rules for use of force and prioritize community outreach, to ensure transparency and public trust.”

This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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