The federal government is looking to have thousands of National Guard soldiers assist with deportation efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security has formally asked the Pentagon to deploy 20,000 National Guard troops to support the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. “To help carry out the President’s mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
A Pentagon official confirmed the request but said the contents were still under review, noting the proposal is in its early planning stages. According to The New York Times, Pentagon lawyers are assessing the legality of involving the Guard in “interior immigration enforcement.”
What remains unclear is whether National Guard troops would be involved in arrests or limited to logistics and security roles. State governors might need to approve the deployment unless Trump opts to federalize the Guard, a step last taken during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) strongly criticized the plan, calling it a “misuse” of the military.
“Trump’s DHS is asking for 20,000 National Guardsmen to assist with immigration enforcement within our nation’s borders, something they’ve never been asked to do before,” she said. “Not only does this undermine readiness and our national security, it also means Trump is testing the limits of how he can misuse our military against the American people.”
Trump has ordered DHS to expand its deportation force by 20,000 officers and recently authorized the military to designate southern border land as “National Defense Areas,” giving troops expanded authority over undocumented migrants.
