Report: DHS Seeks 20K National Guard Troops For Immigration

The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Pentagon for more than 20,000 National Guard members to assist with President Donald Trump's effort in mass deporting illegal immigrants and border security.

Pentagon attorneys were reviewing the request with "interior immigration enforcement," The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a Pentagon official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations. It was unknown what role National Guard members would play and whether states would also have to approve the plan.

"DHS requested 20,000 National Guard members to help carry out the President's mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens," Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsmax. "The Department of Homeland Security will use every tool and resource available to get criminal illegal aliens including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and other violent criminals out of our country. The safety of American citizens comes first."

Last week, Trump issued a proclamation directing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to "supplement existing enforcement and removal operations by deputizing and contracting with State and local law enforcement officers, former Federal officers, officers and personnel within other Federal agencies, and other individuals to increase the enforcement and removal operations force of the Department of Homeland Security by no less than 20,000 officers in order to conduct an intensive campaign to remove illegal aliens who have failed to depart voluntarily."

National Guard troops are typically used domestically in supporting roles for immigration enforcement at the border, including logistics, security, and other assistance. But the Pentagon official told the Times if the request were approved, it would be the first time National Guard troops were used to help enforce such a broad effort against illegal immigration in the U.S.

To help with the effort, the Trump administration pulled in agents and officers from other federal agencies, including from Department of Justice, the Times reported. The DOJ this week moved to enlist about 2,000 agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration to help with arrests.

In the first few months of the administration, agents from the ATF and the DEA, among others, were mostly tasked with helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with securing arrest scenes and adding more people to teams that target illegal immigrants.

The administration has also turned to local law enforcement for help. In recent months, it has signed agreements with local police officers that would allow them to make immigration arrests in cooperation with ICE. Late last month, law enforcement officials in Florida helped ICE in an operation that led to the arrest of more than 1,000 illegal immigrants, according to the Times.

Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Pete Flores reportedly told congressional lawmakers Thursday that Illegal border crossings are down 99% in less than four months of Trump's second term and that the main passageway to the U.S.-Mexico border has seen traffic drop 99.5%.

But the biggest challenge facing the administration is finding and deporting the millions of illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration. DHS announced last week that it will pay illegal immigrants $1,000 if they voluntarily return to their home countries. It said it also will pay for travel assistance and that those who use the CBP Home app to tell the government that they plan to return home will be "deprioritized" for detention and removal by immigration enforcement.