The Department of Homeland Security has made a significant appeal to the Pentagon, seeking assistance from approximately 20,000 National Guard personnel to aid in the deportation of individuals in the U.S. without legal status.
A U.S. official, who provided insights on the matter while wishing to remain anonymous, disclosed to NPR that military legal teams are currently reviewing this request from DHS. This development was initially covered by The New York Times.
The plan involves soliciting volunteer participation from National Guard units across various states, as decided by their governors. Details regarding the timeline for this initiative and the exact nature of the request for volunteers remain unclear at this stage.
The specific responsibilities of the National Guard in this operation are yet to be defined. Their potential roles could range from providing transportation and security to directly engaging in the detention or arrest of migrants. Notably, in February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott authorized Texas Guard members to execute immigration arrests. This potential deployment would mark the first instance of Guard troops assisting in deportations at a national level. President Trump recently directed the DHS to expand its deportation task force by 20,000 officers, and employing National Guard forces emerges as a swift strategy to fulfill this directive.
There is currently no indication that President Trump intends to federalize the National Guard, a measure that would transition control from state governors to federal oversight. The last instance of federalizing the National Guard occurred during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which followed the Rodney King incident.
The Trump administration has notably increased the deployment of active-duty military personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border to bolster security measures and address illegal immigration. The number of troops stationed at the border has surged to over 10,000, a significant rise from the 2,500 during the Biden administration. Furthermore, the Pentagon has extended its jurisdiction over a 60-foot wide territory adjacent to the border, known as the Roosevelt Reservation. Military representatives have affirmed that the stationed troops possess the authority to “temporarily detain trespassers” until local law enforcement can intervene.
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