Civilian Detention Camps
(continued)

by Carl Jensen

In the early 1980’s, President Reagan, the Department of Defense (DOD), and FEMA began to change the role that FEMA would play in the security of the United States. In 1983, it was recommended that FEMA expand its role to include survivability training, imposing martial law, controlling civil disturbances, and placing greater emphasis on protecting the country from foreign threats and domestic terrorism.

REX – 84 (Readiness Exercise 1984)

In 1981, FEMA and the DOD began training exercises to test plans for civil mobilization, civil security, and counter-terrorism. The REX – 84 exercises were established under the premise that FEMA might have to detain a large number of refugees, crossing the Mexican/U.S. border in a mass exodus as a result of a war in Central America (remember the Iran-Contra Affair). REX – 84 also provided for the closing of military bases around the country, of which some would then be turned into detention camps.

One of the ten military bases that were setup as detention camps, was Camp Krome in Florida. This camp was designated as a joint FEMA – Immigration Service interrogation center. REX – 84 coordinated 34 federal departments and agencies to conduct a civil readiness exercise during April 5 – 13, 1984. In the combined exercise, REX – 84 Bravo, FEMA and the Department of Defense led, among other agencies, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Secret Service, the Treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Veterans Administration, through the exercise to test military preparedness in civil defense.The training exercise included the use of the military to control civil disturbances, major demonstrations, and strikes, which would affect government operations and resource mobilization. It also included exercises in fighting terrorism, conducting large movements of the population, and imposing martial law.

Several months after REX – 84 had been completed, it was suggested that Executive Order 11490 should be amended to give FEMA greater control in national emergencies. Serious concerns were raised over these amendments. Some of the concerns included: Objections to the creation of an emergency czar type of role in FEMA (this has happened today).The abandonment of the use of the "several agency responsibility" system. The defining of severe emergencies to include routine law enforcement emergencies. The absence of Presidential or Congressional authorization for unilateral FEMA Directives which would attempt to establish new federal government structures, etc. (Which is the case today.)

Operation Garden Plot

Operation Garden Plot refers to federal military assistance given to local and state law enforcement agencies during times of civil disturbances to control the civilian population. It was a spin off of Rex-84. This operation is also referred to as Oplan Garden Plot, Garden Plot, MACDIS (Military Assistance to Civil Disturbances), and Garden MACDIS. This operation was first made public in the mid-1980’s.

The United States Civil Disturbance Plan 55-2, or Operation Garden Plot, is a direct support operation for the Army, Airforce, Navy, and Marines with airlift and logistic support to respond to civil disturbances. The airlift force will be composed of MAC organic airlift resources, aircraft from the USAF, air reconnaissance, and airborne psychological operations.

This operation will target people or groups the government considers "disruptive elements". It defines "disruptive elements" as resistance groups, tax protesters, right wing extremist groups, people who will be considered non-conformists, or people who simply protest governmental actions such as Martial Law. Its activation will be deemed necessary when local or state authorities cannot maintain law and order. Deadly force may be permitted against any group or person perpetrating what the Federal government will consider civil disorder. Furthermore, Operation Garden Plot also provides for federal troops and the National Guard to combine their efforts with United Nation troops while conducting operations. The cement that pulls all this together is Presidential Decision Directive – 25 (PDD-25). Though PDD-25 is classified, an executive summary is available and discusses the relationship between the United States troops and the United Nations forces in operations here and abroad.

One such example for the use of Operation Garden Plot occurred on April 29, 1992. California experienced the worst riots since the 1960’s in Los Angeles. It began as a small disturbance and quickly accelerated into a full-blown riot that killed 44 people, injured hundreds of others, and cost close to one billion dollars in property damage. The riots were so overwhelming that the L.A. police in many instances would not attempt to stop the rioters. They left citizens to defend themselves and their property. The governor of California directed the National Guard to mobilize and assist the local police. On May 1, 1992, President Bush signed Executive Order 12804, ordering federal troops in to assist the National Guard and local police. The plan they followed was the Department of Defense Civil Disturbances Plan (Operation Garden Plot). The operation included such agencies as LAPD Emergency Operations Center, City Command, the Sheriff’s office, FBI, and the ATF.

Today, what could possibly happen in this country to activate such an operation? The federal government could initiate Operation Garden Plot if there were serious social unrest, political turmoil, or an economic disaster resulting in civil disturbances that local and state authorities could not control. Could Y2K be such an event? Today, under a state of national emergency the President, after declaring Marshal Law, would give FEMA the authority to take control of the internal infrastructure of the United States and suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Congress would be prevented from conducting hearings over the actions of the President or FEMA, for six months or until the President lifted marshal law.

Today the Executive Order that establishes this authority is Executive Order 12919 (see Appendix), and combined today with DODD 3025.12, FEMA would be empowered to hold civilian detainees in detention centers. They could also use the detainees as civilian labor which would be monitored by the Department of Defense, but supervised by the FBI. Also, FEMA’s Federal Response Plan as amended in June of 1999 also makes mention of Operation Garden Plot. It is estimated that there are between 160 – 190 detention (internment) facilities in the United States, each capable of housing between 10,000 to 300,000 civilians.

Most of these camps are located on active military bases, or closed military bases which have been converted to detention facilities. Very few lists of such facilities are available to the general public, and with good reason. It simply makes sense to keep these facilities secret in order to reduce the repercussions that would be experienced from such knowledge. The lists that can be found are vague, old, and incomplete. Photos do exist of detention camps at Camp Grayling in Grayling, Michigan; Fort Dix, New Jersey; and the Federal Transfer Center – Temporary Facility at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Miscellaneous pictures have been taken of other sites showing empty fields with ten foot fences topped with razor wire creating holding pens. These sites also have stadium lighting and guard towers surrounding the sites. The question that should be asked is who are these holding pens for, because cattle do not climb fences, and they don’t need guard towers?