What to Expect When You’re Expecting Martial Law

Maybe you’ve got a gut feeling that something’s cooking.

You’re not sure what your body or the people you follow on TikTok are telling you, but you’ve never felt anything quite like this before. Maybe you had an odd feeling that it was painful to breathe and your eyes were watering this morning, say, near the car wash.

Could it be martial law? Is that possible?

Of course it is. But many people never feel any early symptoms of martial law at all, while others get lots of hints that a life-changing event has already started and big changes are coming. The only way to be positively positive that you’re experiencing martial law is to take this simple three-question test:

1. Have you noticed curfews, orders that restricted movement and limits on public gatherings? Perhaps civil liberties, like freedom of speech or assembly, were curtailed and military tribunals replaced civilian courts?
2. Other than in a natural disaster, are there disruptions to essentials like food, water, transportation and communication? Have businesses closed, was public transport halted and did supply chains falter? Any power outages or Internet restrictions?
3. Did you get stopped at a checkpoint far from a border or an airport, where a person in a military uniform required you to provide identification or proof of residence? Did they order you to unlock your smartphone and hand it to them?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, you may be experiencing martial law. But don’t worry, you won’t be the only one.

What does martial law mean?

Fundamentally, martial law suspends normal civilian legal processes, placing military forces in charge of maintaining order.

In Pasadena, that means Pasadena Police Department officers could report directly to Homeland Security or the military rather than to the Chief of Police or the City Council. Normally this doesn’t happen because local police are governed by federal and state laws, and the Posse Comitatus Act limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement. But direct federal control can be explicitly authorized as part of a declaration of martial law.

If so, any local police assets, like automated license plate readers and other surveillance equipment, would be controlled by the federal government. Any privacy-related or data-sharing restrictions, normally covered by city or state usage policies, would be brushed aside. State law regarding non-compliance with federal immigration agents could be suspended.

Martial law is typically temporary and localized, though its scope depends on how a crisis is defined. For example, martial law may apply to a neighborhood, city, county, state, group of states or the entire country. For example, during the Civil War, Congress created the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act of 1863. This allowed President Lincoln to suspend habeas corpus across the entire U.S. as part of the declaration of martial law.

What can make things worse

Sometimes things that happen during martial law only escalate a situation and make a crisis worse. Some of those can include:

• The confiscation of weapons or supplies
• Food rationing
• Imposition of a curfew
• Restrictions on the right to free speech
• The forcible removal of a person from their property
• Forced imprisonment
• Censorship of the news media

That last item is, naturally, of particular interest to us.

Under martial law, we probably wouldn’t be able to tell you about deportations, protests and arrests, or link to a publicly available map showing automated license plate reader cameras and which directions the cameras are pointed.

In fact, Local News Pasadena and other online news sources may be blocked entirely during martial law.

So it will be vital to monitor the credible news sources (local TV, radio or government Web sites) that remain for official announcements about restrictions or curfews. The key word there is “credible.”

Advance preparation

We recommend the following practical steps prior to and during martial law:

• Keep Your ID Handy
  • Always carry government-issued identification, and have digital backups (e.g., photos on a secure cloud service)
  • Cooperation with authorities, while staying calm and respectful, is usually the safest approach. However, be cautious of unofficial groups or imposters posing as officials

• Plan Your Routes
  • Map out multiple routes to safe locations (e.g., family or friends’ homes) in case roads are blocked
  • Know the locations of shelters or community centers

• Home Security
  • Reinforce your home with strong locks, window bars or a safe room
  • Avoid drawing attention with visible supplies or lights during curfews

• Build a Network
  • Connect with neighbors or local groups now to share resources or skills (e.g., medical training, repair expertise)
  • Form a communication plan, consider daily check-ins

• Practice Stress Management
  • Learn techniques like deep breathing, meditation or journaling to stay grounded
  • Apps like Headspace offer free crisis resources

• Maintain Routines
  • Stick to daily habits (e.g., exercise, reading) to create normalcy. Involve family or housemates in activities to boost morale

• Seek Support
  • Identify trusted friends or professionals you can turn to. If mental health services are disrupted, online platforms may still be accessible

• Verify Information
  • Cross-check rumors with multiple sources

Like the adage that you can’t be a little bit pregnant, you will either be or not be covered under martial law if it arrives.

Our advice during this time is to stay safe, stay peaceful and remember to vote for positive changes whenever you are given the opportunity.