The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has asked for 20,000 National Guard troops to assist with immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, as confirmed by DHS officials to Hill on Thursday.
Director Tricia McLaughlin stated that the DHS is requesting Pentagon security forces to “perform their presidential duties from the American people, arrest and deport illegal criminals.”
Defense officials mentioned to Hill that while the Pentagon was aware of the request made earlier this week, they couldn’t disclose specific details because the plan is still in its early stages.
The New York Times first reported on the request, noting that a Pentagon lawyer is currently reviewing it alongside matters related to “Internal Immigration Enforcement.”
There’s some ambiguity regarding how the National Guard will function in relation to immigration enforcement. It remains uncertain whether their role will involve rounding up individuals for deportation or if they’ll be focused more on transport or safety measures.
Additionally, it’s not clear if the governor’s approval is necessary for this plan or if President Trump has the authority to mobilize federal control over military actions. Historically, the last instance of such federal control was connected to the response to the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles back in 1992.
This initiative was promptly challenged by Democrats, including Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).
“Trump’s DHS is calling upon 20,000 National Guards to support immigration enforcement within our borders. This has never been a part of the National Guard’s mission,” she stated.
Duckworth further claimed that this plan jeopardizes national security while suggesting that Trump could misuse military forces against American citizens. “If this proceeds, it’s clear he won’t just stop at immigrants,” she warned.
State National Guard units have previously aided in deportations. In Texas, for example, security guards were given the authority to detain immigrants as of February, and this request marks a shift towards such practices at the national level.
The DHS’s recent request follows Trump’s earlier directive to enhance deportation efforts by adding 20,000 officers to enforcement agencies.
The president has campaigned aggressively on reducing immigration and has pledged to pursue a “massive deportation” strategy.
Last month, Trump authorized military oversight of federal lands in three states along the border, designating them as “defense areas” to bolster immigration enforcement. This decision granted the military a more involved role in handling encounters with undocumented immigrants at the border, allowing them to detain and search for individuals lacking proper documentation in New Mexico.
Over the past decade, National Guard forces typically supported law enforcement with immigration issues at the borders through logistics, surveillance, and setting up temporary barriers, without directly engaging individuals throughout the country.
