Louisiana Governor to Press Biden to Declare Emergency in Wake of New Orleans Truck Attack

Shoppers with full carts leave a Costco store in Washington, on May 5, 2020. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has announced his intention to ask President Joe Biden to declare an emergency in the state of Louisiana to unlock federal assistance that he says is needed to bolster the state’s response to the recent New Orleans truck attack and support enhanced measures to prevent potential future attacks.

Landry made the announcement in a statement on Jan. 6, the same day that Biden committed to providing the state with additional federal resources to assist in its response to the attack but stopped short of declaring an emergency.

On New Year’s Day, 14 people were killed and dozens injured when U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd of revelers. The attacker died in a shootout with police.

“I look forward to speaking with President Biden today on quickly approving my request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration,“ Landry said in the statement. ”This is no time to play around.”

Landry first asked Biden to declare an emergency in a letter dated Jan. 2, in which he said the magnitude and complexity of the attack had exceeded the state’s capacity to manage it without federal assistance.

“As local and federal law enforcement work to find additional details on the attack, including tracking IEDs and potential security threats, additional immediate federal support is critical to protect lives, restore essential services, and mitigate the potential for further harm,” Landry wrote. “This is especially necessary given the major events New Orleans will host in the upcoming weeks.”

New Orleans expects more than a million visitors for its Carnival season this week, with Mardi Gras festivities kicking off on Jan. 6 and Super Bowl LIX next month. With massive numbers of visitors expected in New Orleans, the Louisiana governor has declared a state of emergency, saying it would help with the extensive coordination and extra security measures needed to secure these events from potential threats.

Biden was set to travel to New Orleans on Jan. 6 to offer comfort to the community after the fatal attack on Bourbon Street in the city’s historic French Quarter. The president said on Jan. 5 that he would deliver a personal message to the victims’ families if he got to meet with them during his visit.

Landry’s statement indicates he plans to meet Biden during the visit and press the president to declare the emergency. The Louisiana governor also called for quick confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.

“There should be no gap in leadership,” Landry said. “In the wake of the Bourbon Street and Las Vegas attacks, our nation’s security depends on her quick confirmation.”

Federal support measures Biden announced for the state include the designation of Mardi Gras and Super Bowl LIX as Special Event Assessment Rating of 1 (SEAR 1) events, explosive detection teams, cyber risk assessments, and air security.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has determined that these significant events require extensive federal interagency support and will use every tool available to fill local capability shortfalls to assure safe and secure events,” Biden’s statement reads.

Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Justice, are coordinating the investigation into the Jan. 1 attack. On Jan. 5, the FBI deployed additional personnel to New Orleans—including special agents and bomb technicians—and opened a Family Assistance Center to support victims and their families, according to Biden’s announcement. The assistance includes lodging, financial aid, crisis intervention, on-site mental health services, and programs to support recovery and healing.

Earlier, in response to a request from Landry, the Small Business Administration offered disaster loans to local businesses and nonprofits affected by the tragedy. The agency said these loans are intended to offset economic losses caused by the attack, providing financial relief to businesses directly affected or suffering because of decreased customer traffic and disruptions.