President Donald Trump’s recent decision to send National Guard troops into several US cities appears to trace its roots back to discussions that began even before he entered the White House for the first time. A review of past statements and internal accounts reported by NPR suggests that the idea of using the National Guard for domestic immigration enforcement was long part of Trump’s political strategy, later shaping key decisions during and after his presidency.
Early Ideas Behind Military Deployment
According to NPR, Trump and his long-time aide Stephen Miller had been exploring ways to use the National Guard for immigration raids and deportations as early as his first campaign. The concept aligned with Trump’s repeated calls for stricter border enforcement and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. While federal law restricts the military from engaging in domestic policing, NPR noted that both men often discussed invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to deploy troops within the United States under specific conditions.
During a TIME Magazine interview in April 2024, Trump said, “I can see myself using the National Guard and, if necessary, I'd have to go a step further. We have to do whatever we have to do to stop the problem we have.” Miller later elaborated on how the plan could be implemented, saying on a podcast in 2023, “You go to the red state governors, and you say, give us your National Guard. We will deputize them as immigration enforcement officers.”
Continuity of a Long-Standing Plan
NPR reported that discussions about the Guard’s role in domestic law enforcement were not new. Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first term, told the outlet that such ideas were raised “behind closed doors” years earlier. “I can remember in meetings with him in the Oval Office, or on Air Force One, or at the border, him starting to bring up this idea of using the United States military to solve the problem,” Taylor said.
Taylor also recalled that in 2017, a draft proposal from the Department of Homeland Security outlined a plan to use the National Guard for mass immigration arrests. “It was the invocation of the Insurrection Act to deputize the military to enforce domestic law to basically become a domestic police force,” he said, describing the idea as deeply troubling to some senior staff.
The Legal and Political Stakes
Trump’s recent deployments have reignited debates over presidential power and the limits of military use within the country. The administration’s actions — including sending troops from Texas into Illinois without the state’s consent — have prompted court challenges. Legal experts told NPR that such moves could redefine how the federal government uses the military at home, particularly if justified under the Insurrection Act.
NPR further linked the current policy approach to Project 2025, a conservative blueprint written after Trump’s first term that promotes a more centralized executive role. Matt Dallek, a professor at George Washington University, said, “The subtext of Project 2025 is to take any and all steps at the executive level to go into cities and states to enact the priority — which is to root out illegal immigration.”
From Immigration to Election Concerns
While the administration has defended the deployments as measures to curb crime and secure federal facilities, civil rights advocates warn of broader consequences. Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, told NPR, “What I have said repeatedly is that the path to authoritarianism in this country is being built on the backs of immigrants. They will begin with immigrants. They will not end with immigrants.”
Trump’s actions, critics say, reflect a long-term strategy that blurs the line between national security and domestic enforcement — a plan that may have been conceived before he ever took the oath of office.
Early Ideas Behind Military Deployment
According to NPR, Trump and his long-time aide Stephen Miller had been exploring ways to use the National Guard for immigration raids and deportations as early as his first campaign. The concept aligned with Trump’s repeated calls for stricter border enforcement and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. While federal law restricts the military from engaging in domestic policing, NPR noted that both men often discussed invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows a president to deploy troops within the United States under specific conditions.
During a TIME Magazine interview in April 2024, Trump said, “I can see myself using the National Guard and, if necessary, I'd have to go a step further. We have to do whatever we have to do to stop the problem we have.” Miller later elaborated on how the plan could be implemented, saying on a podcast in 2023, “You go to the red state governors, and you say, give us your National Guard. We will deputize them as immigration enforcement officers.”
Continuity of a Long-Standing Plan
NPR reported that discussions about the Guard’s role in domestic law enforcement were not new. Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first term, told the outlet that such ideas were raised “behind closed doors” years earlier. “I can remember in meetings with him in the Oval Office, or on Air Force One, or at the border, him starting to bring up this idea of using the United States military to solve the problem,” Taylor said.
Taylor also recalled that in 2017, a draft proposal from the Department of Homeland Security outlined a plan to use the National Guard for mass immigration arrests. “It was the invocation of the Insurrection Act to deputize the military to enforce domestic law to basically become a domestic police force,” he said, describing the idea as deeply troubling to some senior staff.
The Legal and Political Stakes
Trump’s recent deployments have reignited debates over presidential power and the limits of military use within the country. The administration’s actions — including sending troops from Texas into Illinois without the state’s consent — have prompted court challenges. Legal experts told NPR that such moves could redefine how the federal government uses the military at home, particularly if justified under the Insurrection Act.
NPR further linked the current policy approach to Project 2025, a conservative blueprint written after Trump’s first term that promotes a more centralized executive role. Matt Dallek, a professor at George Washington University, said, “The subtext of Project 2025 is to take any and all steps at the executive level to go into cities and states to enact the priority — which is to root out illegal immigration.”
From Immigration to Election Concerns
While the administration has defended the deployments as measures to curb crime and secure federal facilities, civil rights advocates warn of broader consequences. Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, told NPR, “What I have said repeatedly is that the path to authoritarianism in this country is being built on the backs of immigrants. They will begin with immigrants. They will not end with immigrants.”
Trump’s actions, critics say, reflect a long-term strategy that blurs the line between national security and domestic enforcement — a plan that may have been conceived before he ever took the oath of office.
You may also like
'People outside won't know... ': Smriti Mandhana pens emotional message for teammate who played zero games for India in World Cup
India women's cricket team becomes crorepati: Who gave what to World Cup winners
CBI visits TVK office in Panaiyur, seeks details on Karur stampede
At least three die in avalanche on Nepali mountain
Assam Governor inaugurates two-day conclave on development of dairy, animal husbandry, cooperatives
