National Guard members coming to 19 states to assist DHS: Report
As many as 1,700 National Guard members are going to 19 states in coming weeks to help the Department of Homeland Security with immigration matters, Fox News reported. A White House official told the outlet late Friday that this is not related to the federal takeover of Washington D.C., or Trump’s apparent plans to take it to other cities like Chicago.
A change in status for military personnel supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, affecting 1,200 current service members and 500 newly authorized workers, was initially announced in July. The additional support is being provided in response to a May request for assistance from Homeland Security with items such as case management, transportation, logistical support and clerical support for processing those at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities.
Personnel are transitioning from Title 10 to Title 32 status, according to the DOD. Fox noted that this authority does not apply to the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits using federal armed forces for civilian law enforcement.
White House border czar Tom Homan characterized the incoming National Guard troops as a “force multiplier” for ICE in an interview with NewsNation. He clarified that they will not assist with arrests.
Straight Arrow News reached out to the Department of Defense and Homeland Security in an effort to find out which states will be affected. We will print an update upon response.
“This isn’t new, nor is it tied to the President’s efforts to address violent crime in DC,” the White House official told Fox. “…It is separate from the federal interagency crime crackdown.”
Trump in August announced that the National Guard and the Justice Department would be taking over the Metropolitan Police Department in D.C. On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered National Guard troops to be armed while on patrol. Hegseth called it a “common sense” move on X.
Local officials have criticized the move. Some have noted a decrease in crime, such as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who touted how Metropolitan Police Department statistics show violent crime in the city is at its lowest level in 30 years. The latest data from MPD states violent crime is down by 27% and all crime is down by 8%.
Federal prosecutors are now investigating whether the D.C. Metropolitan Police falsified crime statistics, which Trump previously accused them of doing. A police commander was suspended in May over allegations he altered crime data, which Bowser addressed in an interview with NBC Washington, where she said the city’s police chief “had concerns about one commander, investigated all seven districts and verified that the concern was with one person.”
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
