The White House has affirmed that President Donald Trump’s efforts to extend the federal crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., to other American cities have nothing to do with the planned National Guard activations in 19 states.
Why the National Guard Is Mobilizing in 19 States
Officials say approximately 1,700 National Guard members will soon deploy to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 19 states. At Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, their primary responsibility will be providing administrative and logistical support.
The Guard’s duties include fingerprinting, collecting DNA, taking pictures of detainees, and managing paperwork so that ICE agents can focus on enforcement, according to the Pentagon’s initial announcement of the deployment on July 25.
According to a White House official, this is neither new nor connected to the President’s initiatives to combat violent crime in Washington, D.C.
Trump s Crime Crackdown in Washington, D.C.
Trump sent in the National Guard to fight violent crime in the nation’s capital earlier this month. The operation has resulted in at least 465 arrests to date.
Speaking to federal agents and Guard troops at a patrol center in Washington, D.C., Trump declared, “We’re going to make it safe, and then we’re going to go on to other places.” He suggested on Friday that New York and Chicago might come next.
Currently, the capital is home to about 2,200 mobilized Guard personnel from six states and Washington, D.C. They guard important locations like Union Station and the National Mall, as well as Metro stations, monuments, and checkpoints.
Why the Two Operations Are Separate
The White House stressed that the two missions are distinct despite their similarities. Weeks before Trump alluded to adding more troops to his anti-crime campaign in D.C., 1,700 Guard personnel were scheduled to deploy for ICE support.
“The President’s actions to stop crime in D.C. are not the same as the National Guard mobilizing to assist ICE processing with clerical and logistical tasks in several states,” the official added.
Legal Authority Behind the Deployment
Generally speaking, civilian law enforcement cannot be carried out by the federal military due to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. Nonetheless, this deployment is authorized by Title 32 Section 502F, which permits Guard soldiers to help with administrative and logistical duties that are not related to law enforcement.
The change was authorized in July by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also changed previous authorizations from Title 10 (federal duty) to Title 32 (state duty under federal funding) and gave DHS more Guard forces.
Extended Guard Presence in D.C.
Unlike in states, Guard forces in Washington are directly supervised by the president rather than governors. Additionally, they are permitted to carry guns if needed.
In addition to combating crime, the deployment has been connected to city beautification initiatives in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the US Independence Day celebrations the following year.
Trump has hinted that similar operations might be extended to other cities and that the Guard would stay in the capital for a long time.
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