As many as 1,700 members of the National Guard will reportedly be activated to 19 states to assist ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
It extends Donald Trump’s strategy of utilizing federal law enforcement to address crime and unlawful immigration following his earlier deployment of the Guard to Washington, DC this week.
The troops are set to be active from August until at least mid-November, primarily in the key border state of Texas, which will host the largest deployment, Fox News reported.
States where deployments are reportedly being prepared include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
Troops will be used to support ICE with case management, transportation, logistical support, and clerical functions.
They will also be used to deter people from committing crimes, a Pentagon official told Fox.
‘Processing may consist of obtaining personal data, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing, and photographing individuals in ICE custody,’ the official explained.
As many as 1,700 members of the National Guard will be activated to 19 states to assist ICE and the Department of Homeland Security
Troops will be used to support ICE with case management, transportation, logistical support, and clerical functions
The official refrained from commenting on the potential deployment of the National Guard to Chicago or New York, as suggested by President Trump, but mentioned they are ready for that eventuality.
‘We won’t predict future operations, but it’s clear that the department remains a planning-focused entity, continuing collaboration with other agency partners to safeguard federal resources and personnel.’
Further, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the troops deployed to DC to carry weapons and carry out law enforcement duties, ABC News reported.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and ICE for further comment.
Trump has claimed victory in the troop deployment to Washington and on Friday, began to tease where else he might use federal help.
‘When we’re ready we’ll go in and we’ll straighten out Chicago, just like we did D.C.,’ Trump told reporters Friday afternoon during a World Cup event.
The president indicated that the plan wasn’t fully in action, as he hadn’t yet reached out to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
He did call the Democrat names in the Oval Office.
‘Chicago is a mess. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent and we’ll straighten that one out probably next, that will be our next one after this and it won’t even be tough,’ Trump said.
Trump has claimed victory in the troop deployment to Washington and on Friday, began to tease where else he might use federal help
‘And the people in Chicago, Mr. Vice President, are screaming for us to go. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one. But they’re wearing red hats,’ Trump said.
The president was sporting a ‘Trump Was Right About Everything’ red ball cap and standing alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, who was screamed at by angry D.C. residents this week amid a visit to Union Station to check on the National Guard troops stationed there.
Despite polling reflecting the opposite, Trump pushed that his federal intervention in major Democratic cities was wanted.
‘African-American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, “Please, President Trump, come to Chicago,”‘ the president continued.
He added that he did ‘great’ with the black vote.
‘So I think Chicago will be our next and then we’ll help with New York,’ he said.
On August 11, Trump announced that he was federalizing D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, which he has the authority to do temporarily under Washington’s Home Rule Act – which gives the city a mayor and city council, but not full statehood.
That means Washingtonians don’t have voting representation in Congress.
Trump also sent in National Guard members to combat crime after a former DOGE employee, nicknamed ‘Big Balls,’ was assaulted by teenagers during a botched carjacking attempt off of D.C.’s popular 14th Street.
Because D.C. is a federal district, Trump commands the District’s National Guard.
A Washington Post-Schar School poll released Wednesday found that 69 percent of D.C. residents ‘strongly oppose’ Trump federalizing the police force and bringing in the National Guard troops.
Another 10 percent somewhat opposed the move.
Just 9 percent of Washingtonians strongly supported Trump’s order, with another 8 percent who said they somewhat supported it.
