President-elect Donald Trump on Monday declared a national emergency and acknowledged the potential use of military assets as part of a mass deportation that his administration is preparing to begin on day one.
President Trump responded to Judicial Oversight Chairman Tom Fitton's post on Truth Social, reportedly saying that President Trump is “prepared to declare a national emergency and deportation programs through a mass deportation program.” “We will use military assets to reverse Biden's invasion.”
“Truth!!” Trump posted.
Incoming Trump administration focuses on large-scale expansion of immigration control: “He will definitely make it happen''
Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President Trump declared a national emergency on the southern border in 2019 to allocate more money for border wall construction amid Congressional inaction on the issue. Military assets are used in a variety of ways regarding border security, including in Texas. However, it is not clear how they will be used in connection with deportation.
President Trump has made a historic mass deportation campaign a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, and Trump administration officials have reiterated that promise since he was elected this month.
President Trump said in September that he would “follow the Eisenhower model and carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
He also pledged to use the Alien Enemy Act to rid the United States of gang members, drug traffickers, and cartel members, with support from multiple government agencies.
Additionally, he has previously said he is prepared to move troops to the southern border and use the navy to impose a “fentanyl blockade” in U.S. territorial waters.
Fox News Digital reported last week that the Trump administration was already considering where it could expand detention centers in anticipation of this operation and had spoken with private prison companies about possible expansion.
Immigrants reach for food distributed outside the Roosevelt Hotel on August 2, 2023 in New York City. Dozens of recently arrived migrants are camping out at the Roosevelt Hotel, trying to find temporary housing. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Transition team spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt told Fox News Digital: “The American people re-elected President Trump by a wide margin and gave him a mandate to deliver on the promises he made during the campaign. We will do it,” he said.
Democratic governor threatens to use 'all means' to fight back against Trump-era deportations
President Trump announced three major immigration-related staffing moves last week. He announced that he is a former actor. ICE Director Tom Homan will become the “border czar” and will be responsible for overseeing border security and deportation operations. On Tuesday, President Trump announced his nomination of Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Mr. Trump's deportation campaign is likely to face significant resistance from blue states. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she was prepared to use “every tool in my toolbox” to protect citizens and residents, and vowed that state police would “absolutely” not support President Trump's operations.
“Liberation Day”: What to expect from President-elect Trump on border security and immigration control
“We're going to do everything we can to protect illegal immigrants,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said last week.
For more information on the border security crisis, click here
But he acknowledged there are some situations in which states would work with the federal government to deport illegal immigrants.
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“We can't prohibit federal law enforcement from coming into the state and doing raids and things like that,” Pritzker said. “On the other hand, I think it would be very difficult for them to spread across the country. We don't have enough personnel in the Department of Homeland Security to do that.”
FOX News' Kristin Parks contributed to this report.
