Tom Homan, the incoming border czar for President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, has proposed using U.S. military bases and resources to bolster mass deportation efforts. Homan, formerly Acting ICE Director, discussed the potential strategy in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Homan revealed that the administration is exploring options for military involvement, contingent on funding from Congress. Previous administrations have used military facilities to detain illegal aliens, including under Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Democrats:
“Trump can’t use the military to help deport illegals!”

Also Democrats:
Called in the National Guard to deport 50 illegals out of Martha’s Vineyard to a military base within 48 hrs of their arrival. pic.twitter.com/MByiQD8rjX

— LD Basler (@ArmaLite15OU812) November 28, 2024

Though military personnel cannot arrest individuals, Homan explained that they could assist in logistical roles, such as housing detainees on bases or facilitating transportation to deportees’ home countries. “They could serve as a force multiplier,” he said, emphasizing their potential contribution to Trump’s immigration enforcement goals.

Trump’s Team Eyes Military Bases for Mass Deportations

Reports suggest that Donald Trump’s team, led by “border czar” Tom Homan, is considering the use of U.S. military bases and aircraft to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. pic.twitter.com/uoNK8bp7Nt

— Starship Alves 🚀 (@StarshipAlves) December 29, 2024

President-elect Trump has made immigration a cornerstone of his upcoming term, promising the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history and completing the border wall. Declaring a national emergency on immigration is also planned, granting the administration access to Department of Defense resources.

Homan’s remarks point to a strategy aimed at expanding deportation infrastructure to handle large volumes of cases. Military support could prove critical in executing Trump’s aggressive immigration policies.

The idea of using military assets for deportation operations has reignited debate over the scope of military involvement in domestic issues, with implications for both policy and public perception.