OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that when he returns to office in the early months of next year, he will declare a “national emergency” to use “military assets” to deport illegal immigrants.
Trump claimed Truth Social after replying, “TRUE!!!” to a post by Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch that quoted him saying he would.
“GOOD NEWS: Reports are the incoming @RealDonaldTrump administration prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program,” Fitton wrote on the social media platform.
“Trump has vowed to enact the largest deportation in history, starting when he takes the oath of office Jan. 20. Any attempt to use active-duty troops would be subject to legal challenges, as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 limits the federal government from using the military to enforce domestic policy,” the New York Post reported.
“The act does not prohibit the National Guard from serving in a law enforcement capacity. The president-elect has also said he would invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to dismantle criminal gangs operating on American soil. The act — which requires Congress to declare war — would allow Trump to detain and remove dangerous foreign nationals that are deemed a threat to the US. Trump has yet to say whether he would declare war on a specific country — such as Venezuela — to authorize the removal of migrants,” the Post added.
Trump has made the border a top priority in his transition plans and appointed former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan as a new “border czar,” who will collaborate with federal departments to safeguard the country’s southern and northern borders.
Homan has stated that, regardless of Democratic-run cities like New York asserting “sanctuary” status, he will endeavor to expel illegal immigrants from the United States.
“I’ve been clear. President Trump’s been clear. Public safety threats and national security threats will be the priority because they have to be, they pose the most danger in this country,” Homan told “Fox & Friends” last week after being tapped for the czar position.
Homan told The Post that he hopes Trump will exercise his power to pressure sanctuary communities by halting federal assistance and pursuing legal action.
“If they’re not willing to do it then get out of the way — we’re coming,” Homan said.
Karoline Leavitt, whom Trump announced will be his White House press secretary, stated that Trump’s overwhelming victory serves as a clear endorsement of the policies he championed throughout his campaign.
“The American people delivered a resounding victory for President Trump, and it gives him a mandate to govern as he campaigned, to deliver on the promises that he made,” Leavitt said, according to Newsweek.
“Which include, on Day One, launching the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris has allowed into this country. It includes drill, baby drill, and expediting permits for nuclear, for fossil fuels, for an above-all energy approach that’s going to bring down the cost of living in this country,” she said.
“It includes, on Day One, bringing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table to end this war and returning to the very tough sanctions on the Iranian regime, so we can stop the chaos in the Middle East,” she said.
Trump adviser Jason Miller, meanwhile, said Trump’s first day back in office will usher in a return to the policies in effect when he left office, “such as put all of his strong border policies back in place.”
“The previous administration didn’t need any acts of Congress to go and break the border, and so all we have to do with regard to the border is put his policies back in place,” he said. “We can secure it and start making the country much more safe.”
Advisers have also said that Trump wants new laws from a potentially GOP-controlled Congress as well to keep the border strong so that a future president cannot simply reverse his policies again.
