Reason why Trump has mobilized 1,700 National Guard soldiers in 19 states
Donald Trump has significant plans for the National Guard soldiers that will be dispersed out to multiple key states.
Donald Trump is causing a stir with his latest move that will see 1,700 National Guard soldiers activated across the United States.
The troops will be mobilized from August until at least mid-November with many set to be stationed in the state of Texas.
Other states that will see the National Guard presence going forward include: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
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A Pentagon official spoke about the move and told Fox that the soldiers will also be used to deter people from committing crimes.
The official also said they wouldn’t speculate on whether the National Guard could branch out to other states.
They added: “We won't speculate on further operations, but can tell you that the department is a planning organization and continues to work and plan with other agency partners to protect federal assets and personnel.”
Why have the National Guard been deployed to 19 states?
The soldiers' main objective will to be assist ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
This comes as Trump has repeatedly said he wants to be tough on both crime and illegal immigration.
This next step follows on from when the National Guard was deployed to Washington after Trump took to social media to insist he wanted to make the state great again.
Earlier this month, writing on Truth social, he wrote: “I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before. The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.
"The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong."
What will the National Guard be doing in the states they're deployed to?
Regarding actual tasks, the National Guard troops will support ICE with case management, transportation, logistical support, and clerical functions.
The official said: “The in-and-out processing may include personal data collection, fingerprinting, DNA swabbing and photographing of personnel in ICE custody.”
This comes after Trump celebrated how successful the soldiers in Washington had been, hinting at other places they could be deployed.
Speaking to reporters on August 22, he said: “When we're ready we'll go in and we'll straighten out Chicago, just like we did D.C.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who Trump branded 'grossly incompetent', later clarified he hadn't had any official communications from the president, adding: "Certainly, we have grave concerns about the impact of any unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to the City of Chicago. The problem with the president's approach is that it is uncoordinated, uncalled for, and unsound."
Topics: Donald Trump, News, US News
Gerrard Kaonga