Mexico’s Defense Department claims the National Guard has killed two Colombians and wounded four others in a confrontation near the U.S. border.

During his first term as president, Donald Trump tested the limits of how he could use the military to achieve policy goals.

Migrants in Mexico said they’ve been shot by the rounds, which leave bruises and disperse a chemical irritant. The state says Guard members are trained not to aim directly at people.

The United States has lifted a ban on providing American weapons and training to a controversial Ukrainian military unit that was key to the defense of the major port city of Mariupol.

Kent State University is marking another solemn anniversary of the National Guard shootings that killed four unarmed students and wounded nine others on May 4, 1970.

Donald Trump says he’d use the National Guard as part of efforts to deport millions of migrants across the country if he’s reelected.

News reports cite a Border Patrol bulletin that said an Indiana Guard member wounded a migrant who was stabbing another migrant at the border in El Paso.

The City of Edinburg held a vigil on Monday to honor the two National Guard soldiers and Border Patrol agent who were killed in a helicopter crash along the U.S.-Mexico border.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is sending the National Guard to the New York City subway system to help police search passengers’ bags for weapons.

Senate Bill 4 would allow Texas police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the border.

Texas is expanding its grasp of a border city that has become the focus of a political struggle between the state and federal government.

The chief of the National Guard says the U.S. is still able to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets despite the U.S. running out of funds to send additional weapons and assistance to Kyiv.

Guinea-Bissau’s president has issued a decree dissolving the West African nation’s opposition-controlled parliament.

Gunfire in Guinea-Bissau’s capital erupted late Thursday night and continued through Friday morning in what local media reported as clashes between security forces.

Ukraine’s intelligence agency has claimed responsibility for a car bombing that killed a member of the Russia-backed authority in the illegally annexed Luhansk region.

The Russian military says a Ukrainian missile strike on a shipyard in annexed Crimea had damaged a Russian ship.

U.S. officials say the Pentagon is developing plans to restructure the National Guard in Washington, D.

Operation Lone Star originally targeted single men suspected of crossing the border illegally in mass trespassing arrests, but some claimed that not arresting women violated equal protection laws.

Long lines formed again next to the border wall in El Paso — a scene repeated in other parts of the southern border — as migrants anticipated the end of a policy that has allowed immigration agents to quickly expel them.

A Mexican man says Mexico's quasi-military National Guard opened fire on his SUV, killing his pregnant 15-year-old girlfriend and a 54-year-old friend, and wounding two other people.

Tidal flooding exacerbated by heavy winds from a winter storm has inundated roads, homes and businesses in parts of New York City.

Workforce Solutions is hosting its ‘Red, White, & You! Veterans’ Hiring Event’ for veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, National Guard, Reserves, and their family members to partake in.

San Antonio Zoo is honoring military personnel with free admission in November.

A governor’s military powers are often not discussed as part of the election process, in favor of other prominent issues like education and taxes. But with Operation Lone Star in plain view, voters may have more questions this election.

Soldiers are leaving the Army National Guard at a faster rate than they are enlisting.

Hurricane Fiona is dumping more rain on Puerto Rico.

Mexico's Senate has approved handing control of the country's recently created National Guard over to the military.

Mexico’s National Guard, created as a nominal civilian force in 2019, would be transferred completely to the authority of the country’s military.

The Pentagon has once again denied a request from the District of Columbia seeking National Guard assistance in dealing with thousands of migrants being bused to the city from Texas and Arizona.

Mexico's president has begun exploring plans to sidestep congress to hand formal control of the National Guard to the army.

The District of Columbia has requested National Guard assistance to help stem a “growing humanitarian crisis” prompted by thousands of migrants that have been sent to Washington by a pair of southern states.

Mexico’s immigration enforcement is increasingly militarized with the armed forces and National Guard now accounting for more migrant detentions than immigration agents.

The governor has ordered thousands of state troopers and National Guard members to the border since last year. Here’s what you need to know about the initiative.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial border mission was subject to a slew of bad news this week, including a major shakeup at the Texas Military Department, whose top leader Abbott replaced.

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to Washington, D.

In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Mitchell and James about how Texas held up during the wintry weather, plus the struggles of the National Guard during their border deployment.

The governor has sent waves of troops to the border as Guard officials scramble to execute a massive mobilization that would normally take months to plan. Some Guard members say the operation has set back their income, education and well-being.

New Mexico is asking National Guard troops and state bureaucrats to volunteer to serve as substitute teachers as preschools and K-12 public schools struggle to keep classrooms open amid surging COVID-19 infections.

The Pentagon says it's streamlined the approval process for urgent use of National Guard forces in the District of Columbia.

More than 12,000 military service members refusing the COVID-19 vaccine are seeking religious exemptions, and so far they're having zero success.

The Capitol Police chief is about to gain new authority to request help from the National Guard.

More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says no member of the National Guard will be allowed to participate in drills or other training required to maintain their status in the Guard unless they are vaccinated against COVID-19 or are given an exemption.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has rejected a request by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt that his state’s National Guard be exempt from a Pentagon requirement that all military members be vaccinated against COVID-19.

A dispute between the Oklahoma governor and the Pentagon over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is setting up the first critical test of the military’s authority to require National Guard troops to get the shot.

The Guadalupe County Emergency Management Office and the National Guard have teamed up to provide three COVID-19 vaccine clinics over next few weeks.

President Joe Biden has signed emergency legislation that will bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war.

Congress has overwhelmingly passed emergency legislation that will bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war.

In a letter to the major general of the Texas National Guard, Abbott said “more manpower is needed” at the border.

Wyoming's governor says he's looking at how the state might send National Guard troops or other help to bolster security at the border with Mexico.

A top Army leader is defending the Pentagon’s response to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

National Guard troops are set to leave the U.S. Capitol and turn over security of the area to Capitol Police.

A House hearing on the Capitol insurrection has wrapped up after harsh words from lawmakers.

Trust between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill has cratered as Joe Biden prepares to address House and Senate lawmakers for the first time in his presidency.

California has gone from worst to first in the rate of coronavirus infections.

More than 3,000 National Guard soldiers, along with police officers, sheriffs deputies and other law enforcement personnel have flooded Minneapolis in the wake of a verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with murder in the death last year of George Floyd.

Defense Department and National Guard officials are denying some requests for troops to protect Washington, D.

An investigation has concluded that members of the Washington D.

This undated photo provided by Lubbock County (Texas) Sheriff's Office shows Larry Lee Harris. Idalou, Texas police said Harris, an Arizona man who held 11 National Guard Soldiers transporting COVID-19 vaccines at gunpoint, was arrested Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (Lubbock County Sheriff's Office via AP)LUBBOCK, Texas – Federal prosecutors have charged an Arizona man accused of forcing off the road a National Guard convoy transporting COVID-19 vaccines in West Texas, then holding 11 guard members at gunpoint. Larry Lee Harris, 66, of Willcox, Arizona, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon, federal prosecutors announced in a statement Friday. He remained in the Lubbock County Detention Center on Friday pending an initial appearance in federal court.

This undated photo provided by Lubbock County (Texas) Sheriff's Office shows Larry Lee Harris. Idalou, Texas police said Harris, an Arizona man who held 11 National Guard Soldiers transporting COVID-19 vaccines at gunpoint, was arrested Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (Lubbock County Sheriff's Office via AP)LUBBOCK, Texas – An Arizona man is accused of forcing off the road a National Guard convoy transporting COVID-19 vaccines in the Texas Panhandle and then holding 11 guard members at gunpoint. None of the National Guard members were injured, and Harris was arrested Tuesday morning when police responded to the scene. He then ordered the guard members out of their vehicles at gunpoint, police said.

Lawmakers from both parties have decried the fencing as unsightly, expensive and beyond what is necessary, even though security fears remain high. The security perimeter extends far beyond the Capitol itself through neighboring parks and office buildings. AdBlodgett said.the outer perimeter fencing will be removed in the latter part of March and Independence and Constitution avenues, the two major thoroughfares that flank the Capitol, will be opened for traffic. An inner perimeter will be moved closer to the Capitol building this week, providing reopened access to nearby streets and some sidewalks. The political pressure to remove the security fencing has been building.

National Guard open a gate in the razor wire topped perimeter fence around the Capitol allow another member in at sunrise in Washington, Monday, March 8, 2021. The U.S. Capitol Police has asked for the fencing and the National Guard to remain, for now. As of Friday there were about 4,300 Guard troops in the city. "Our National Guard troops, who serve with great honor and distinction, are not law enforcement officers, and we will not abide the continued militarization of Capitol complex security,” wrote Sens. Coupled with the hiring of 350 additional officers, the report also recommends establishing a permanent “quick response force” within the Capitol Police but also at the National Guard in D.C. for emergencies.

According to the National Guard, troops from some states will stay in Washington for the entire two months. Military leaders were also concerned because governors initially expressed reluctance to have their troops stay in the city. Troops from the District of Columbia Guard will continue in the security mission. As of Friday there were about 4,300 Guard troops in the city. The National Guard Association of the United States also questioned the extension, noting that it was difficult for Guard leaders to find enough volunteers for the mission.

National Guard open a gate in the razor wire topped perimeter fence around the Capitol allow another member in at sunrise in Washington, Monday, March 8, 2021. The U.S. Capitol Police has asked for the fencing and the National Guard to remain, for now. As of Friday there were about 4,300 Guard troops in the city. "Our National Guard troops, who serve with great honor and distinction, are not law enforcement officers, and we will not abide the continued militarization of Capitol complex security,” wrote Sens. Coupled with the hiring of 350 additional officers, the report also recommends establishing a permanent “quick response force” within the Capitol Police but also at the National Guard in D.C. for emergencies.

There are currently about 5,100 Guard troops in Washington, and they were scheduled to leave this weekend. Early on, Guard members were briefly forced to take rest breaks and meals in a nearby cold garage, sparking outrage within the Biden administration. In addition, Guard members complained of bad food, and some said they became sick. On Monday, Kirby said about 50 Guard troops had been treated for gastrointestinal issues, out of the 26,000 that deployed to Washington. AdActing Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman made the request to have the Guard members stay on, setting off a series of discussions with the Pentagon and National Guard leaders.

National Guard keep watch on the Capitol, Thursday, March 4, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)WASHINGTON – The Capitol Police have requested that members of the National Guard continue to provide security at the U.S. Capitol for another two months, The Associated Press has learned. There were no signs of disturbance Thursday, but the Capitol Police's request for extended Guard assistance appeared mired in confusion within various congressional oversight authorities, according to letters obtained by The AP. The more than 5,000 Guard members currently in Washington, D.C., are all slated to go home March 12, ending the mission. AdCapitol Police officials have also told congressional leaders the razor-wire-topped fencing around the Capitol should remain in place for several more months.

National Guard stand guard at a perimeter fence at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON – The Latest on a possible threat against the Capitol (all times local):5:50 p.m. Pittman says the board suggested some temporary fencing would be removed starting Friday, and the fencing around the outer perimeter of the Capitol complex would be removed starting March 12. Some fencing is likely to remain as law enforcement officials continue to track an increased number of threats against lawmakers and the Capitol. This comes two months after Trump supporters smashed through windows and doors to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden’s victory.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – Worried about continuing threats, the acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police appealed to congressional leaders Thursday to use their influence to keep National Guard troops at the Capitol, two months after the law enforcement breakdowns of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection. Pittman said she needed the leaders' assistance with the three-member Capitol Police Board, which reports to them. Paul Irving, who served on the Capitol Police Board as House sergeant-at-arms, denied that Sund asked him to call the Guard. He ultimately called the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard just before 2 p.m., who in turn testified that the request for help was delayed by the Defense Department. “We have the razor wire, we have the National Guard.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – Many questions remain unanswered about the failure to prevent the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol Police also did its own intelligence assessment warning that Congress could be targeted on Jan. 6. Four House committees are probing what went wrong with that data collection, including the House intelligence committee. “I don’t want our committee’s examination to be about Trump or about Jan. 6,” Warner, D-Va., said in an interview. Thousands of National Guard troops still guard the Capitol, which is now surrounded by fencing and barbed wire and closed off to the public.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The Latest on congressional testimony about the Capitol insurrection (all times local):5 p.m. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer notified lawmakers late Wednesday of the sudden schedule change. Gibson comes to the Senate from a 33-year military career, including as a senior intelligence officer in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, supporting troops in the Middle East, Schumer said. The head of the National Guard for Washington, D.C., says Pentagon concerns about “optics” delayed the sending of troops to protect the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. Walker says D.C. officials pleaded with the Army officials to quickly send the National Guard to help police guard the Capitol.

Guard troops who had been waiting on buses were then rushed to the Capitol, arriving in 18 minutes, Walker said. Much of the focus at Wednesday's hearing was on communications between the National Guard and the Defense Department. Contee said Sund pleaded with Army officials to deploy National Guard troops as the rioting escalated. AdAccording to the Defense Department, Walker was called at 3 p.m. by Army officials, and was told to prepare Guard troops to deploy. Thousands of National Guard troops are still patrolling the fenced-in Capitol, and multiple committees across Congress are investigating Jan. 6.

In this Feb. 2, 2021 file photo, acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman pays respects to U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington. Acting Police Chief Yogananda Pittman offered the estimate as she testified Thursday to a House subcommittee investigating the attempt to force Congress to overturn the November election results. AdFive people died in the attack on the Capitol, including a Capitol officer. The acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police says the agency’s incident command protocols “were not adhered to” on the day of the Capitol insurrection. Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman says commanders in charge of supervising the officers were supposed to be giving directions as the violent mob stormed the Capitol.

Three of the four security officials, including the Capitol police chief, resigned immediately after the attack. He testified Tuesday that he met with then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund on Jan. 4 and that he believed they agreed not to ask for the Guard. Sund says he requested Guard help again at 1:09 p.m. on Jan. 6, as rioters were massing outside the building. Sund says he did see an intelligence report created within the Capitol Police force warning that Congress could be targeted on Jan. 6. That report warned extremists were likely to attend and there were calls for people to travel to Washington armed.

Fencing and National Guard troops still surround the Capitol in a wide perimeter, cutting off streets and sidewalks that are normally full of cars, pedestrians and tourists. Like Sund, Irving and Stenger resigned under pressure after the deadly attack. And how could the Capitol Police have been so ill-prepared for a violent insurrection that was organized online? Sund said he did see an intelligence report created within his own department warning that Congress could be targeted on Jan. 6. “We all agreed the intelligence did not support the troops and collectively decided to let it go,” Stenger said.

(AP Photo/Christian Chavez)WASHINGTON – After decades of failed attempts to pass comprehensive immigration legislation, congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden are signaling openness to a piece-by-piece approach. They unveiled a broad bill Thursday that would provide an eight-year pathway to citizenship for 11 million people living in the country without legal status. “Even though I support full, comprehensive immigration reform, I’m ready to move on piecemeal, because I don’t want to end up with good intentions on my hands and not have anything,” said Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin has said that any final Senate bill likely “will not reach the same levels” as Biden’s proposal. AdIndeed, comprehensive bills negotiated by bipartisan teams of lawmakers failed multiple times during Republican George W. Bush’s administration and again in 2013 during Democrat Barack Obama's.

Members of the National Guard help motorists check in at a federally-run COVID-19 vaccination site set up on the campus of California State University of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Houston’s public health agency lost power and had to scramble to give out thousands of shots before they spoiled. The Los Angeles site is “proximate to a community that has been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic,” Gov. Still, some public health experts warn it’s far too early to declare the virus is on the wane. Dr. Ronald Hershow, director of epidemiology at the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Public Health, predicted there will be upticks.

AdCaldwell's lawyer is urging the judge to release him, saying he denies being a member of the Oath Keepers or ever going into the Capitol building. The Virginia man is among more than 200 people charged with federal crimes so far in the deadly siege. He was charged with conspiracy last month alongside two other accused members of the Oath Keepers, who are accused of planning in advance to carry out violence. Authorities say Caldwell began plotting to undo President Joe Biden's victory as early as the days after the election. Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers communicated during the attack about the location of lawmakers.

Yankee Stadium opened as a COVID-19 vaccination site Friday, drawing lines of people from surrounding neighborhoods in the Bronx. President Joe Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month. One of the five new military teams will go to a vaccination center opening in California. AdMilitary troops will staff one of the two California centers, FEMA and Pentagon officials said. Training other medical personnel to give the vaccination shots, he said, would potentially provide more.

National Guard troops reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president on Wednesday. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The cost of deploying about 26,000 National Guard troops to secure the U.S. Capitol in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6 riot is nearly $500 million, U.S. military officials said Thursday. Thousands of Guard members poured into the nation's capital and were stationed across the city to block traffic and protect lawmakers and landmarks. Officials said the nearly $500 million includes the costs of transporting Guard troops from their states to Washington, their salaries and benefits, as well as housing and other essentials. AdOfficials say the money is expected to cover the costs of the Guard through mid-March, when the troops are expected to leave.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, Pool)WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is ordering military leaders to spend time talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks, after a number of former and current military members took part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol last month. Kirby said while extremism has been a problem in the military in the past, the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which left five people dead, was a “wake-up call” for military leaders. AdRooting out extremism within the ranks — much like efforts to do away with racism and violence against women — is difficult. Service members may hold whatever political or other beliefs they want, but they are held to much stricter standards on actions they are allowed to take. Under the Code of Military Justice, service members can't actively advocate for extremist, supremacist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology or causes, or participate in any way.

During the last two months of his tenure, former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller removed a number of longtime members from several defense policy, health, science and business boards and replaced many with loyalists of former President Donald Trump. And he ordered all committee members who were appointed by the defense secretary to resign no later than Feb. 16. In November, however, Trump appointed him to that same post, just days after firing then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and putting Miller in the job. Miller appointed Tata to the Defense Policy Board on Jan. 19, his last full day on the job. AdOne new congressionally mandated commission is also being purged of the four members that Miller appointed in early January.

In this Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021 photo, riot fencing and razor wire reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Eileen Putman)WASHINGTON – The House’s chief law enforcement officer is tightening security for traveling lawmakers as Congress reassesses safety in an era when threats against members were surging even before Donald Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol. Congress' 535 members travel frequently between their homes and the capital, and many have said they feel vulnerable in their districts and when they travel. The House members asked for tightened security procedures. President Joe Biden is in “close touch” with Pelosi about congressional security, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Soldiers with the Texas National Guard work at a drive-through COVID-19 testing center in Smithville on May 5, 2020. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that National Guard troops will vaccinate residents in five rural counties as part of a new pilot program. (Credit: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORK)Starting Thursday, state mobile vaccination teams staffed by Texas National Guard members will be deployed to five rural Texas counties to administer coronavirus vaccines to qualified residents. National Guard teams will visit DeWitt, Marion, Real, Sherman and Starr counties as part of a newly-created State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program announced by Gov. On Wednesday, President Biden ordered full reimbursement to states that use the National Guard to increase the pace of vaccinations nationally.

CIUDAD VICTORIA – Mexican authorities say they have found 19 shot and burned bodies near a town across the Rio Grande from Texas in an area that has seen violent territorial disputes between organized crime groups in recent years. The Tamaulipas state prosecutor’s office said late Saturday that the bodies were discovered along a dirt road outside Camargo after residents reported a burning vehicle. Authorities found two vehicles on fire, one containing four bodies and the other 15. All had been shot, but shells were not found at the site, leading investigators to believe they were killed somewhere else. In January 2020, 21 bodies, most burned, were found in various vehicles near the neighboring town of Ciudad Mier.

About 25,000 Guard members from across the country deployed to help secure President Joe Biden's inauguration, which went off with only a handful of minor arrests. First lady Jill Biden visited Guard troops outside the Capitol on Friday, bringing them cookies and thanking them for protecting her family. She noted that the Bidens’ late son, Beau, served in the Delaware Army National Guard. All 25,000 Guard members were vetted by the FBI over concerns of an insider attack, and a dozen were removed from their posts including two who made extremist statements about the inauguration. Thousands of Guard troops from all across the country poured into D.C. by the planeload and busload late last week, in response to escalating security threats and fears of more rioting.

They are, from left: Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, age 54, from Rochester, NY; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, age 39, from Honeoye Falls, NY; and Chief Warrant Officer Two Daniel Prial, age 30, from Rochester, NY. (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs via AP)MENDON, N.Y. – The three National Guard members killed when a helicopter crashed in an upstate New York field this week were experienced pilots with past deployments to Afghanistan, officials said Friday. Killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 5 Steven Skoda, 54, of Rochester, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Christian Koch, 39, of Honeoye Falls, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Prial, 30 of Rochester, according to the National Guard. The crew had been conducting night vision goggle proficiency training in the local training area, the National Guard said. Skoda served in the Army from 1985 to 1987 and joined the National Guard 1987.

National Guard troops continue to be deployed around the Capitol one day after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)WASHINGTON – After President Joe Biden’s inauguration went off with only a handful of minor arrests and incidents, more than 15,000 National Guard members are preparing to leave Washington, D.C., and head home. The National Guard Bureau said Thursday that of the nearly 26,000 Guard troops deployed to D.C. for the inaugural, just 10,600 remain on duty. The bureau said the Guard is helping states with coordination and the logistics so that troops can get home. Guard members will have to turn in equipment, make travel plans and go through COVID-19 screening.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2021 photo provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, National Guard members assisting with processing COVID-19 deaths, placing them into temporary storage at the medical examiner-coroner's office in Los Angeles. (Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner via AP, File)NEW YORK – Coronavirus deaths are rising in nearly two-thirds of American states as a winter surge pushes the overall toll toward 400,000 amid warnings that a new, highly contagious variant is taking hold. While the variant does not cause more severe illness, it can cause more hospitalizations and deaths simply because it spreads more easily. Although the state last week said anyone age 65 and older can start receiving the vaccine, Los Angeles County and some others have said they don’t have enough to immunize so many people. The death rate from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County — an epicenter of the U.S. pandemic — works out to about one person every six minutes.

He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats. Multiple officials said the process began as the first Guard troops began deploying to D.C. more than a week ago. That could include involvement in prior investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle. Insider threats have been a persistent law enforcement priority in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, has been meeting with Guard troops as they arrive in D.C. and as they gather downtown.

He said Guard members are also getting training on how to identify potential insider threats. Multiple officials said the process began as the first Guard troops began deploying to D.C. more than a week ago. That could include involvement in prior investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle. Insider threats have been a persistent law enforcement priority in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, has been meeting with Guard troops as they arrive in D.C. and as they gather downtown.

Military leaders spent chunks of Thursday evening and Friday calling states in an unprecedented appeal for more National Guard troops to help lock down much of the city in the days before President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. Kate Brown said she turned down the federal request to send at least 100 more National Guard troops to D.C. “I didn’t think that we could safely fill that commitment,” Brown said. Oregon has already agreed to send 30 to Washington, but state leaders are worried about violence at the state capitol in Salem. At that point, the new round of calls to the state governors and military leaders began. Roy Cooper initially agreed to send 200 Guard, and on Friday spokesman Ford Porter said the state will send 100 more.

State officials said Friday they have helped distribute 98 refrigerated trailers to help county coroners store dead bodies. There are now 98 of the trailers to help county coroners store bodies “with respect and dignity,” Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said. California has received more than 3.5 million doses of the vaccine and has administered just over 1 million doses. Newsom said the state was on pace to exceed his goal of giving out roughly 1.5 million doses by Friday. While California has the second-highest number of deaths in the country, the state ranks 39th in the number of deaths per capita at 81.8.

(Photo by Sergio Flores/Getty Images)AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas State Capitol and Capitol Grounds will be closed “out of an abundance of caution” for several days as President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration nears. Though details remain murky, demonstrations are expected at state capitols beginning Sunday and leading up to Biden’s succession of President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The FBI has warned of the potential for violence at all state capitols and has said it is tracking an " extensive amount of concerning online chatter, " including calls for armed protests. Though details remain murky, demonstrations are expected at state capitols beginning Sunday and leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. “But we draw the line at threats to physical safety or to the Utah Capitol building.

Vice President Mike Pence listens during a briefing about the upcoming presidential inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, at FEMA headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)WASHINGTON – Vice President Mike Pence has called his soon-to-be successor Kamala Harris to offer his congratulations, according to two people familiar with the conversation. Pence and Harris spoke Thursday afternoon and had a “good call," according to one of the people familiar with the conversation, with Pence congratulating Harris and offering his assistance. And in November 2016, Biden, Pence and their spouses met for lunch at the Naval Observatory after an earlier meeting at the White House. “I told Mike, the vice president-elect, that I'm available to him 24/7,” Biden said after the get-together.

Security surrounds the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Azar says he will resign at noon on Jan. 20, when President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in. TSA is also providing officers to help the Secret Service screen people along the parade route and attending Biden’s inauguration Wednesday. Pence’s call comes less than a week before President-elect Joe Biden and Harris are set to take office. President Donald Trump hasn’t reached out to Biden and has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s win.

Members of the National Guard walk past the Dome of the Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Now, the Defense Department inspector general will review the Pentagon's “roles, responsibilities, and actions” in preparing for and responding to the riot. He said the information was quickly shared with other law enforcement agencies through the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Washington. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general office said it would look into the response of its component agencies, focusing in part on the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. That unit issues alerts to law enforcement agencies around the country.

As of Thursday, there are roughly 7,000 Guard members in Washington, with thousands more on the way. Officials say Guard members from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, are deploying to the city. As of Thursday, there are roughly 7,000 Guard members in Washington, with thousands more on the way. Officials say 3,000 to 4,000 of those Guard members are armed. Pentagon officials approved requests to have some Guard members armed with either long guns or handguns, particularly those Guard members assigned near the U.S. Capitol.

Members of the National Guard walk past the Dome of the Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – All through downtown Washington, the primary sound for several blocks was the beeping of forklifts unloading more fencing. The number of National Guard troops coming to Washington to assist with security has so far grown to about 21,000, Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told Vice President Mike Pence at a briefing Thursday. National Guard members operate under strict rules of engagement on the use of force. D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee estimated Wednesday that more than 20,000 National Guard members would be active in the city on Inauguration Day.

With the Washington Monument in the background, people attend a rally in support of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. The announcement comes after thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol last week as legislators were meeting to vote to certify Biden’s electoral win. The State Department is investigating what appears to be a “prank” after its website suggested President Donald Trump’s term would end Monday evening. It comes days after thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to stop the congressional certification of Biden’s victory. The National Park Service is shutting down public access to the Washington Monument until Jan. 24, citing threats surrounding Joe Biden’s inauguration.

But given what we saw at the Capitol, people are very concerned that this could go in a much different direction. We’re at one of these moments where you’re going to see a transfer of power from not just one man to the next but one party to another. You’re going to see a significant shift in priorities from one administration to another. You’re going to see a changeover on Capitol Hill. But there are already some real concerns about what the Trump administration will leave the Biden administration, and whether that will hamper them at the start.