OAN Staff James Meyers
2:14 PM – Friday, May 16, 2025
The Trump administration has requested to deploy 20,000 additional National Guard troops, in support of President Donald Trump, Border Czar Tom Homan, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s intensified efforts to combat illegal immigration.
Currently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have deported over 66,000 illegal immigrants living in the U.S., but the GOP administration still desires to increase the ongoing effort by recruiting more manpower.
During former Democrat President Barack Obama’s second term, 2013 to 2016, approximately 1.49 million illegals were deported from the U.S. This figure is based on data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the time.
“DHS requested 20,000 National Guard members to help carry out the President’s mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The New York Post in a statement.
DHS will use “every tool and resource available to get criminal illegal aliens, including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and other violent criminals out of our country. The safety of American citizens comes first,” McLaughlin added.
The outlet continued, explaining that the Department of Defense (DoD) is currently contemplating the call.
During Operation Jump Start, from 2006 to 2008, under former GOP President George W. Bush, around 6,000 National Guard troops were deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border. Their mission included “surveillance, infrastructure support, and logistical assistance” to the Border Patrol. However, they did not directly enforce immigration laws or make arrests.
Meanwhile, details of the Trump administration’s National Guard border plan were not immediately clear in regard to whether states would first have to approve the plan, in addition to the exact role that the troops would play in the deportation effort.
According to The Post, Border Patrol personnel have been asked to “volunteer” to assist ICE in an imminent “nationwide” move. Additionally, the area and direct targets of the operation were not revealed.
As the number of illegal border crossings have hit record lows under the Trump administration, a great feat, agents have continued to jump to help in any way they can. In April, Border Patrol had seen less than 10,000 attempted migrant crossings, a 93% decrease, compared to April in 2024 under the Biden administration — which saw over 128,000 crossings.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also offered other ways for illegals to leave the U.S. They now have the option to “self deport,” where the U.S. government will pay for their flight back home and give them a $1,000 bonus upon their arrival home.
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