DHS memo details how National Guard will be used for immigration enforcement

DHS officials requested 20,000 National Guard troops three weeks ago, but this memo details what duties those troops will be asked to perform. The memo, dated May 9, from Andrew Whitaker, the executive secretary at DHS, says the department will need up to 3,500 Guard personnel for its requirement to “Attempt to Locate — Fugitives.” Another 2,500 Guard soldiers would be needed for detention support.

The memo says up to 10,000 troops would be needed for transportation support, including “intra-and inter state transport of detainees/unaccompanied alien children.” And another 1,000 troops would be used for such duties as document translation and interview assistance.

The Pentagon has not yet approved the request. (Read DoD’s interim response to the request.)

This would be the first time the National Guard has been asked to enforce an immigration crackdown within the United States, Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at a hearing with Army officials Thursday.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told the committee that while the service is preparing to provide the forces, he had no details on what the troops would be doing, and said he would not deploy the Guard “for any unlawful purposes.” There are a number of unanswered questions, officials say, including whether sending troops from one state to another is lawful.