Colorado pushes back against DoD and DHS plans for National Guard members to assist ICE operations

DENVER — Colorado Governor Jared Polis is pushing back on any attempts that might federalize Colorado National Guard members to assist with ICE operations in the state.

“Colorado’s National Guard members play an important role in protecting our state during natural disasters and emergencies at home and abroad, and the Governor has been clear that he would not support federal overreach to activate the National Guard outside of regular order,” said a spokesperson for Governor Polis.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) are coordinating efforts to replace military troops like the Marines who were deployed to Los Angeles this summer with National Guard members.

“The Department of Homeland Security is engaged with the Department of Defense and working out final details on a partnership that will enable the National Guard to supplement a wide range of immigration enforcement activity in the U.S. interior,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement to KOAA.

“This whole-of-government approach will greatly improve national security, public safety and DHS's ability to fulfill its pledge to the American people,” McLaughlin said.

This comes after the Pentagon released a statement on July 25 confirming a change in the duty status of military personnel supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in its immigration law enforcement mission.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said Marine Corps and Naval Reserve officers who had been providing ICE support under Title 10 status would be return to their home stations. National Guard members would take over the mission roles in a Title 32 status.

Under Title 10, personnel are directed by the president to report for active duty in an official capacity. Under Title 32, National Guard members are mobilized by the state’s governor, but at the direction of the president and are federally funded and regulated.

According to an internal ICE memo and plans reported on by the New York Times, CNN, and the Intercept, President Trump is planning to activate 2,000 National Guard members in 20 states with Republican governors to assist in various ICE support roles. They’d be allowed to have “direct interaction with individuals in ICE custody.”

The national outlets reported that the National Guard deployments could come as early as the beginning of August.

DHS did not directly address when their plans would go into effect nor if Colorado would be involved. Since National Guard members are typically under state control, it would be surprising for President Trump to attempt to direct a Democratic Governor like Jared Polis to take part in this plan.

But as seen in Democrat-controlled California earlier this summer, the administration hasn’t shied away from sending military force into a domestic matter. Utilizing National Guard members instead is sure to still stir controversy.

Colorado leaders and immigrant advocate groups have indicated they don’t know of any plans to institute National Guard troops in Colorado’s ICE operations.

“Gov. Polis is frustrated by the lack of transparency around ICE’s operations in our state and continues to call on Congress to do their part and pass real immigration reform that secures our border, provides adequate personnel for border and interior enforcement, and does not take advantage of Colorado's National Guard,” a spokesperson for Governor Polis said in a statement.

According to the Pentagon, the activated National Guard members would assist in ICE operations including “case management, transportation and logistical support, and clerical support for the in- and out-processing of illegal aliens at ICE detention facilities.”

___

____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.