TRUMP LOOKS TO USE MILITARY BASES TO HOUSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Figuring out what to do with illegal immigrants has been an issue for quite some time. Nobody, regardless of their political affiliation or viewpoint, seems to have a solid plan for dealing with the influx of people simply trying to chase the American dream. However, lawmakers are discussing a new plan. President Donald Trump wants to use military bases to house them, but there are logistical details that need to be ironed out.
The U.S. Wants to House Immigrants on Military Bases
Military bases across the United States may soon find themselves fulfilling a different mission as the Trump administration is inquiring about the possibility of using installations to house illegal immigrants.
“The Trump administration is asking a whole bunch of different military bases, ‘Give us the feasibility of housing migrants at your base,’” said Rep. Adam Smith.
While Smith and the House Armed Services Committee have been briefed on these possibilities, bases across the country are looking into if such an idea would be possible.
Gitmo Already in Use
Putting migrants into military bases is already a practice somewhat in use, as the Trump administration is already housing them in Cuba.
The Pentagon has already sent immigrants to Guantanamo Bay, and it’s believed that a total of 30,000 will be brought there over time.
While using Gitmo for immigrants isn’t a new idea, the use of this scale, should that figure come to fruition, would be one of the largest examples in our nation’s history.
More Efforts to Combat a Shrinking Problem
Trump declared a national emergency at the border and sent 1,500 more troops to assist Homeland Security, bringing the total to 4,000. Army Soldiers will likely handle perimeter security, while federally deputized Texas National Guard members could be directly involved in guarding detainees.
While there are still people making the journey from Mexico to the U.S., efforts that began under President Joe Biden and have continued now are proving to be effective at slowing down the rate of illegal immigrants coming into the country.
By September 2024, there was a 75% decrease from the previous year in border encounters, where the average was down to only 1,000 per day.
Adding the use of military bases to help with housing illegal immigrants who would presumably be deported could discourage even more from making the trip, decreasing these numbers even more.
Fort Bliss and Fort Huachuca Are Prime Candidates
It’s still unclear which bases will be used for Trump’s plan, but both Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Huachuca in Arizona are two names being floated around.
Considering their proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, these installations make sense logistically, but nothing is set in stone.
Officials continue to look into the feasibility of using bases for such an operation. Not only because of their prime functions dedicated to protecting our nation, but there are security measures and operational hurdles, such as having tents and supplies for migrants, which all need to be sorted out.
Under Trump's proposal, Fort Bliss will initially hold up to 1,000 detainees during a 60-day "evaluation period." The base's capacity could expand to accommodate up to 10,000 migrants. This is not the first time that Fort Bliss has been used, as the Biden administration used the base in 2021 as an emergency intake shelter to house thousands of unaccompanied migrant children who had cross the border. And, in 2016, the Obama administration used Fort Bliss to house hundreds of unaccompanied minor migrants in a temporary shelter complex.
Democratic Texas congresswoman, Veronica Escobar (whose congressional district included Fort Bliss), warned that turning military bases into detention centers would pose a threat to military readiness, and the effectiveness of US military forces. She said, "It is not good for our readiness, and it degrades our military."
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