The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent request for 21,000 National Guard troops, intended to bolster what it calls “expansive interior immigration enforcement operations,” has sparked significant concern.
Sources briefed on the plan disclosed to NBC News that the DHS request includes directives for National Guard personnel to search for unaccompanied children and transport them across state lines.
This unprecedented use of National Guard troops for immigration enforcement has raised alarm among various Democrats in Congress and some military and law enforcement officials.
The formal request to the Pentagon, dated May 9, marks the first time U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has sought the deployment of National Guard personnel specifically to support interior immigration enforcement operations.
According to the request, the troops would be engaged in a range of tasks, including “Search and Rescue for UACs [Unaccompanied Alien Children] in remote or hostile terrain,” and transporting detainees, which encompasses unaccompanied children.
Critically, the document lacks clarity on what these tasks would entail.
DHS provided details indicating that approximately 10,000 of the requested troops would focus on transporting detainees, while 2,500 troops would assist with detention operations.
The specifics of these detention tasks remain unspecified.
Moreover, the document outlines the need for an additional 1,000 troops to handle administrative duties like processing detainees.
Further concerns arise from requests for up to 3,500 troops to engage in locating fugitives, conducting surveillance, and executing nighttime operations and rural interdictions.
Some sources expressed deep apprehension regarding these proposed duties, with one stating that it appears the Trump administration is finding a way to deploy the National Guard into civilian contexts, which could resemble a police state.
Another source cited how President Donald Trump has long indicated a desire to use the National Guard for law enforcement, raising fears that this request may materialize into reality.
As the Pentagon is currently deliberating this request, defense officials indicated it has not yet been approved and is under evaluation by policy officials, the general counsel’s office, and other leadership.
The expectation is that some aspects may gain approval while others could be rejected.
Nevertheless, insiders mention that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is nearing a decision on which elements of the request to approve and is evaluating which state governors to consult about deploying National Guard units.
The DHS’s request is made under Title 32 status, which allows National Guard troops to remain on state active duty while still being federally funded.
This designation permits them to conduct law enforcement activities without breaching the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law that restricts the use of federal troops in civilian law enforcement roles.
Opposition to the proposal has surfaced from within the National Guard itself, with one member expressing a desire to leave the service over the expectation that troops will be utilized for such tasks.
Compounding the complexities, the DHS is asking the Pentagon to cover the complete costs of deploying these 21,000 National Guard troops, intensifying existing tensions between the Pentagon and DHS regarding funding for border and immigration-related operations.
DHS’s request coincides with the Pentagon’s existing financial burden of approximately $23 million monthly to house 2,500 undocumented immigrants at a military facility in Texas.
Defense officials expressed frustration over the facility housing far fewer individuals than anticipated, seeking some form of reprieve from the current financial commitment.
The contractual agreement between the Defense Department and DHS entails supporting ICE agents facing pressure from the deputy White House chief of staff, Stephen Miller, to apprehend 3,000 undocumented immigrants daily.
However, the operation has experienced sluggish progress, leading to fewer arrests and consequently an abundance of empty beds within facilities, such as the one in El Paso owned and operated by the Defense Department.
Recent patterns indicated the facility accommodating an average of merely 150 undocumented immigrants daily, with some days seeing numbers drop below 80.
In light of these circumstances, Pentagon officials proposed reducing the facility’s bed capacity from 2,500 to 1,000, which could potentially yield savings of $12 million per month.
The DHS’s request for National Guard troops raises questions about whether additional deployments will compel the need for more beds at the El Paso facility.
Simultaneously, the Pentagon struggles to maintain funding for critical projects supporting U.S. troops.
Congress has been alerted to the department’s reallocating of funds from existing military projects, such as barracks improvements for junior enlisted personnel and essential infrastructure projects elsewhere.
A Senate aide noted frustrations regarding the Pentagon’s directive for funds to support DHS operations at the cost of the military’s operational integrity.
Pentagon officials have communicated intentions to divert more than $1.74 million from the current Defense Department budget to Southwest border missions, thus impacting vital renovations and repairs at military bases.
Service member advocacy groups have voiced their dissatisfaction with these financial reallocations.
Rob Evans, the founder of Hots&Cots, highlighted the deteriorating living conditions many service members face due to diminished funding.
He emphasized that when important resources are diverted, the resulting delays and worsening conditions for troops become apparent, ultimately undermining their well-being and quality of life.
“Troops deserve clean, safe, and dignified living conditions,” Evans stated. “They’ve earned at least that much.”
image source from：https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/dhs-wants-national-guard-search-transport-unaccompanied-migrant-childr-rcna211484
