The Utah National Guard has been called on to aid in the federal government’s crackdown on illegal immigration, with local forces likely to help with transportation and handle administrative tasks, not enforcement.
They’re reportedly part of a contingent of 1,700 National Guard forces from 19 states to be called on to help federal immigration authorities.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox last week broached the possibility of Utah National Guard troops aiding in efforts to detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally — and federal authorities, it turns out, submitted a formal request for help, also last week. In response, Lt. Col. Christopher Kroeber, the Utah National Guard spokesman, said the entity sent out messages on Thursday, Aug. 21, seeking guardsmen and guardswomen willing to take part in the effort.
“The request is not large; it’s not for a huge footprint of people,” Kroeber said Monday.
At the same time, details of what those taking part would do have yet to be pinpointed, though they’d remain in Utah. The federal government would cover the cost of the Utah troops’ efforts, which are expected to last from mid-September to mid-November, according to preliminary planning.
“We are planning for administrative support missions, potentially transportation-type things or fingerprinting, administrative tasks like that,” Kroeber said. He understands the request for assistance from the Utah National Guard came through the Department of Homeland Security, but he’s not sure which federal agency the Utah forces would be assisting.
Cox said at his monthly press conference last week that Utah National Guard troops would not be involved in arresting suspected immigrants in the country illegally, a topic that has generated intense debate across the nation. President Donald Trump has made the detention and deportation of immigrants in the country illegally a priority.
“That is not the role of the National Guard, and we would not allow that to happen,” Cox said.
Regardless, the potential participation of Utah National Guard forces in the immigration crackdown has prompted backlash, Kroeber said, alluding to critical comments by readers of some of the news reports about the possibility. Several sheriff’s offices across Utah have recently formalized accords to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials with their efforts.
Utah National Guard leaders “are concerned about the safety of our soldiers,” he said, but “it is one of our primary responsibilities to support state and local authorities if and when they need our help.”
Utah isn’t the only state to potentially assist immigration officials in efforts to track immigrants in the country illegally. The Christian Science Monitor reported earlier this month that the state is one of 20, all led by Republican governors, authorized to aid federal immigration officials.
News Nation on Saturday reported that National Guard troops would be deployed to serve in a supportive role for federal immigration authorities. “They’re a force multiplier. It helps us arrest the bad guy quicker and it makes it more efficient,” Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar,” told the news outlet.
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