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Donald Trump considers mobilising 100,000 National Guard troops to round up undocumented immigrants Donald Trump considers mobilising 100,000 National Guard troops to round up undocumented immigrants
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Donald Trump's administration is considering mobilising as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorised immigrants, it has been reported.Donald Trump's administration is considering mobilising as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorised immigrants, it has been reported.
The Associated Press obtained a draft memo that calls for the unprecedented militarisation of the US immigration enforcement. But if implemented, governors in 11 states included in the draft memo would have final say on how many troops are actually deployed.The Associated Press obtained a draft memo that calls for the unprecedented militarisation of the US immigration enforcement. But if implemented, governors in 11 states included in the draft memo would have final say on how many troops are actually deployed.
The draft memo, written by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, includes four states that border Mexico – Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California – but extends to seven contiguous states  – Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon. The draft memo, written by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, includes four states that border Mexico – Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California – but extends to seven contiguous states  – Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon. 
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied the report as "100 per cent false" on Twitter, but could not say that the subject was never a topic of discussion within the administration.White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied the report as "100 per cent false" on Twitter, but could not say that the subject was never a topic of discussion within the administration.
"I don't know what could potentially be out there, but I know that there is no effort to do what is potentially suggested," he said. "It is not a White House document.""I don't know what could potentially be out there, but I know that there is no effort to do what is potentially suggested," he said. "It is not a White House document."
The acting press secretary for the DHS also denied the report, saying: "The Department is not considering mobilising the National Guard."The acting press secretary for the DHS also denied the report, saying: "The Department is not considering mobilising the National Guard."
But it remains unclear whether the White House will carry out this order as reported, as the administration has become notorious for attempting to discredit news stories that cast a unfavourable light on the President, writing them off as "fake".But it remains unclear whether the White House will carry out this order as reported, as the administration has become notorious for attempting to discredit news stories that cast a unfavourable light on the President, writing them off as "fake".
Mr Trump launched his campaign with particular focus on immigrants from Mexico, criminalising them with broad brushstrokes. In his now infamous June 2015 campaign announcement, he referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug traffickers, solidified with his vow to build a wall along the already-militarised southern border. Mr Trump launched his campaign with particular focus on immigrants from Mexico, criminalising them with broad brushstrokes. In his now infamous June 2015 campaign announcement, he referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug traffickers, solidified with his vow to build a wall along the already-militarised southern border. 
The administration hit the ground running with executive orders to carry out many of his campaign promises, which included the early stages of the wall-building project and the travel ban targeting seven majority-Muslim countries.The administration hit the ground running with executive orders to carry out many of his campaign promises, which included the early stages of the wall-building project and the travel ban targeting seven majority-Muslim countries.
The latter was blocked by a federal court shortly after its signing. The latter was blocked by a federal court shortly after its signing. 
In the first month of Mr Trump's administration, immigration enforcement officers carried out the first large-scale enforcement of Mr Trump's executive order to take action against undocumented people in the US.In the first month of Mr Trump's administration, immigration enforcement officers carried out the first large-scale enforcement of Mr Trump's executive order to take action against undocumented people in the US.
Raids took place last week in and around New York, Los Angeles, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta and Chicago, immigration officials confirmed – with more than a third of those detained in the Los Angeles area being deported to Mexico. Raids took place last week in and around New York, Los Angeles, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta and Chicago, immigration officials confirmed – with more than a third of those detained in the Los Angeles area being deported to Mexico. 
Democratic Texas Rep Joaquin Castro condemned the draft and called it "disturbing". Democratic Texas Rep Joaquin Castro condemned the draft and called it "disturbing". 
"I'm hoping that it's not true, but you get five different answers on controversial issues depending on who you ask [in the Trump administration]," he said. "So it's hard to know when Sean Spicer's denial is actual policy. "I'm hoping that it's not true, but you get five different answers on controversial issues depending on who you ask [in the Trump administration]," he said. "So it's hard to know when Sean Spicer's denial is actual policy. 
"The President needs to address this; the President needs to be clear about his intentions and whether he intends to use the National Guard as immigration agents.""The President needs to address this; the President needs to be clear about his intentions and whether he intends to use the National Guard as immigration agents."
Mr Castro explained that, following a meeting with ICE, it was hard to "not conclude that Donald Trump has started his mass deportation plan". He explained that ICE officials referred to the President's executive order to crack down on undocumented immigrants and acknowledged that it was a much broader mandate than President Barack Obama's.Mr Castro explained that, following a meeting with ICE, it was hard to "not conclude that Donald Trump has started his mass deportation plan". He explained that ICE officials referred to the President's executive order to crack down on undocumented immigrants and acknowledged that it was a much broader mandate than President Barack Obama's.
"They seemed determined to go after as many people as possible because of the language of the executive order," he said. "And the ICE director was very clear that they were going to follow that message.""They seemed determined to go after as many people as possible because of the language of the executive order," he said. "And the ICE director was very clear that they were going to follow that message."
  
Mr Trump's enforcement efforts are made possible by infrastructure that has already been fortified by previous administrations. The Obama administration was fiercely criticised by immigrant rights groups for its part in ramping up immigration enforcement in the country.  
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Christian Ramirez, the director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition and human rights director for Alliance San Diego, expressed concern about the panic that will stem from this report, as well as the fear that Mr Trump has already generated in immigrant communities along the US-Mexico border. 
"Any talk about deploying military personnel to our communities is not only of great concern to border residents who have been living under the boot of border militarisation for generations, but it should be of great concern to our democracy," he told The Independent. "Having military personnel enforce civilian laws runs counter to basic principles of democratic societies and we should be concerned with the notion of this being contemplated by this administration."
Still, Mr Ramirez explained immigrant communities along the border were already heavily policed by the Border Patrol, the largest law enforcement agency in the country.
Mr Trump's enforcement efforts are made possible by infrastructure that has already been fortified by previous administrations. The Obama administration was fiercely criticised by immigrant rights groups for its part in ramping up immigration enforcement in the US.
Under Obama, ICE carried out some 2.5 million deportations between 2009 and 2015. Under Obama, ICE carried out some 2.5 million deportations between 2009 and 2015. 
"There’s a certain continuity between what has been proposed [by Trump] and what has been going on [under Obama],” Anthony Enriquez, the Equal Justice Works Emerson fellow at the Immigrant Defence Project, told The Independent late last year. "The issue of enforcement really begins with the Department of Homeland Security, that has just grown to really gigantic proportions. "When it comes to the actual enforcement, we had gross cases of human rights violations along the southern border under Obama," Mr Ramirez said. 
"The infrastructure to carry out his announced plans already exists. The idea of mass deportation has already been normalised." "I think what is clear is that President Trump inherited a massive deportation machine and has control of the largest law enforcement agency in the country, which Congress granted these absolute powers to look the other way when it comes to protecting our Constitutional rights.
Despite Mr Obama’s legacy as "Deporter-in-Chief" amongst immigrant rights advocates, the number of deportations have dropped in the last two years – although the number still falls at 530,000. That trend that could likely reverse during Mr Trump’s time in the White House. "What is clearly different is that, unlike the previous administration, the Trump administration has been using a whole lot of hate speech and hyperbolic rhetoric when referring to the border region, immigrants, and refugees – and language has a real impact on communities."