Title: Trump Administration Amps Up Immigration Enforcement with 20K National Guard Troops
Federal department seeks deployment of 20,000 National Guard members for immigration operations; military authorities mulling over proposition.
Hey there! Let's dive into some news about the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has flung out a request for a whopping 20,000 National Guard troops to lend a hand in immigration roundups all over the nation. The Pentagon's currently examining this unusual demand, spilling the beans to none other than The Associated Press.
DHS is all fired up to carry out President Donald Trump's "mandate from the American people to snatch and deport criminal illegal aliens." Tricia McLaughlin, the department spokeswoman, made that clear. She added that DHS is ready to wield "every tool and resource at our disposal," since "the safety of American citizens comes first."
Unlike the National Guard troops dispatched at the southern border, these units hail from the states and will be employed to back up law enforcement efforts in deportation operations across the country's heartland. The specifics of their roles may hinge on whether they remain under state governors' control or federal authority.
Under the Posse Comitatus Act, federal troops generally can't be used for domestic law enforcement. However, troops under state control can [1][2]. It's still up in the air why the DHS has asked the Defense Department for help instead of approaching the states directly. The U.S. official, who prefers to remain nameless, shared the details off the record.
If 20,000 National Guard troops jump on board, it's gonna give immigration enforcement a massive boost. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency responsible for interior immigration enforcement, boasts a staff of around 20,000 individuals spread across three divisions [3].
Among these, the division directly responsible for picking up folks who don't have the right to stay in the country has just about 7,700 staff members, including more than 6,000 law enforcement officers. You heard that right - only 6,000 officers to handle the whole shebang!
By the way, the suggestion of calling up additional troops has already set the cat among the pigeons. Federal magistrate judges in New Mexico and other locations have kicked out national security charges against migrants accused of crossing the border through militarized zones, as there's a paucity of evidence indicating they were aware of these zones.
As you know, Trump's been on a sweeping crusade against illegal immigration, cooking up several executive orders aimed at stopping what he calls the "invasion" of the US.
Funny enough, the U.S. is already home to up to 10,000 troops on state and federal orders at the U.S.-Mexico border. These troops have so far been engaged in offering airlift, strengthening the wall, surveillance, and administrative support to make border agents more available for arrests or detentions. So far, these troops have focused on guarding the border rather than detaining crossing migrants, leaving the grunt work to other agencies.
All this was first reported by The New York Times.
In a nutshell, keep an eye on this situation as it unfolds. If you wanna learn more about the Trump administration, our thoughts on immigration, and other Nation & World Stories, give our site a gander.
Sources:
- N.N. (2018, February 16). The Role and Limits of National Guard Troops in Trump's Immigration Crackdown. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/trump-immigration-national-guard.html
- F.D. (2018, February 16). National Guard troops' role in immigration enforcement blurs legal lines. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-nationalguard-explainer/national-guard-troops-role-in-immigration-enforcement-blurs-legal-lines-idUSKCN1GA1ZT
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.ice.gov/about/organization/department-homeland-security/ice/immigration-customs-enforcement
Headlines to Check Out
- Volcanic eruption in deep ocean ridge exhibited for the first time
- Hawaii's Kona Coffee Fields Turn into Ripe Target for ICE
- Missing Camper 'Miraculously' Found Alive after Surviving Weeks in Snowy High Sierra
- A Longevity Expert's 5 Tips for Aging Well
- Dan Seavey, Patriarch of Alaska Mushing Family who Raced in the First Iditarod, Dies
- The Trump administration's expansion of National Guard troops for immigration enforcement may prompt a review of policies and legislations regarding their roles in domestic law enforcement, particularly in relation to the Posse Comitatus Act.
- Seattle's general news outlets might cover the impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies on local communities, including possible changes in business operations due to increased deployment of National Guard troops or the effects on families and workers.
- In the arena of politics, both local and national, debates about war-and-conflicts might ensue as a result of the increased deployment of National Guard troops for immigration enforcement, sparking discussions on the balance between national security, border control, and human rights.
