President Donald Trump made some grand promises before being elected to a second term, and one of his top priorities was cracking down on illegal immigration. During his inaugural address, the president said, “I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” Just days into his presidency, the Donald is making good on those vows.
Troops at the Border
On Wednesday, January 22, the Department of Defense announced the deployment of 1,500 active-duty troops to help secure the border. Acting Defense Secretary Robert G. Salesses said they would assist in constructing barriers and that the Pentagon would also provide military aircraft to transport more than 4,000 detained immigrants, and there are already about 2,500 National Guard and Reserve personnel in place along the almost 2,000-mile border. “This is just the beginning,” he said.
“In short order,” Salesses explained, “the department will develop and execute additional missions in cooperation with the DHS, federal agencies, and state partners to address the full range of threats outlined by the President at our nation’s border,” the Associated Press reported. If requested, Defense officials are prepared to provide up to 2,000 Marines as well.
For now, the troops are not allowed to perform law enforcement duties, such as arresting illegals, but that may change. Trump has requested, via an executive order, that the secretary of defense and homeland security chief provide a report within 90 days if they think the Insurrection Act of 1807 should be invoked. This would allow troops to become civil law enforcement on US land. The last time this act was invoked was in 1992, during the Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of the police officers who assaulted Rodney King.
“This is something President Trump campaigned on,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary. “The American people have been waiting for such a time as this – for our Department of Defense to actually implement homeland security seriously. This is a No. 1 priority for the American people.”
On his second day in office, Trump relieved Adm. Linda Fagan of her Coast Guard command and announced the agency would be utilizing more cutter ships, aircraft, and personnel to the “Gulf of America."
Other Activities for Immigration Control
Aside from claiming a national emergency for the crisis at the border, Trump also canceled the CBP One app, which allowed illegal migrants to make appointments and essentially skip the vetting process at the border.
A somewhat controversial plan includes suspending the ability to seek asylum through the southern border. A fact sheet from the White House explained: “[T]hrough the exercise of his authority, President Trump has further restricted access to the provisions of the immigration laws that would enable any illegal alien involved in an invasion across the southern border of the United States to remain in the United States, such as asylum.” This is not a permanent directive. Restrictions will be loosened when it is determined the “invasion at the border has ceased,” Trump explained. Until then, however, the president seems to be making good on his promise to close the border.
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