Pentagon weighs DHS request for 20,000 National Guard troops to aid deportations

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formally requested that the Pentagon provide some 20,000 National Guard troops to help carry out deportations of undocumented migrants across the United States.

The request is currently under legal review by military lawyers, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The plan would rely on voluntary contributions of Guard forces from state governors, though the timeline and the specific roles of those troops remain unclear.

The Pentagon has not indicated whether it will approve the deployment or what tasks the Guard would be authorised to perform. Options reportedly under consideration include transport, security support, and possibly detention of migrants, though not necessarily participation in arrests.

The initiative comes after President Donald Trump ordered DHS last week to boost its deportation force by 20,000 officers. Utilising National Guard troops is seen as the fastest way to meet that goal. However, there is no indication that the White House will seek to federalise the Guard, a step that would place the troops under direct federal command. The last such federalisation occurred in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots.

This development coincides with heightened activity by U.S. military personnel along the southern border, where over 10,000 troops are now stationed, up sharply from around 2,500 during the Biden administration. Military officials say these forces can temporarily detain border crossers until they are handed over to local law enforcement.

The deployment request comes amid broader immigration debates, including a Supreme Court case that could redefine eligibility for birthright citizenship. A recent NPR/Ipsos poll showed a majority of Americans oppose ending birthright citizenship, an idea backed by some in the Trump administration.

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott earlier this year authorised Texas National Guard troops to make immigration-related arrests, a move that may signal growing state-level support for more aggressive enforcement measures.

By Aghakazim Guliyev