WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A social media post from President-elect Donald Trump related to using the military for mass deportations had everyone talking on Monday.
The logistics of exactly how it will happen are still unclear. Also unknown is who will be a priority on the list for removal from the U.S.
WPTV reporter Michael Hoffman spent the day getting insight from military and law enforcement experts.
Experts told Hoffman that while the National Guard typically falls under the governor's control, the president can take over in times of "national emergency." However, with no specifics released by Trump on the plan, it's still unclear how this would play out and who would be targeted.
On Truth Social, Conservative CEO Tom Fitton posted that the president-elect is "prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program." Donald Trump then replied, "TRUE!!!"
It's sparking concern and curiosity.
"He would have to give them a very clear mission to go, what we would call, maybe loosely term, 'round up illegal immigrants,'" Ret. Air Force Lt. General Richard Newton said.
He told Hoffman that federalizing the National Guard is not new.
In fact, previous administrations, including Joe Biden, have called up the National Guard for fires, protests and to secure the southern border.
It's also important to note that large numbers of deportations are also not new to the country.
While in office, President Barack Obama reportedly deported 1.18 million in his first three years in office, nearly 410,000 in 2012 alone. Newton believes a majority of undocumented immigrants would not be targeted for removal.
"What he would be focusing on are really those extraordinary bad actors who could potentially threaten U.S. national security," Newton said. "They could be former they could be ISIS; they could be Al-Qaeda, they could be part of the Mexican drug cartel."
Tim Miller, who has decades of experience in the military and local law enforcement and the United States Secret Service, believes the military will be less boots on the ground and more involved with intelligence.
"You're going to see things like intelligence support," Miller said. "You're also going to see Special Operations Support. Those folks are designed we've been tracking terrorists and bad people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and we've got some pretty good experience. Well, you're going to see some of those elements targeting the dangerous criminal elements."
Miller said he understands where the fears of people who came here to search for a better life, but said they aren't the only people trying to get through the border.
"Let me be clear, our country desperately needs those people," Miller said. "But on the other hand, we can't afford to have, you know, folks like … I'm not even going to mention his name, the person that killed Laken Riley. We can't have those flowing freely without fear, and that's the scary part. They're not afraid of law enforcement. They're not afraid of anything. What they are afraid of is being sent back to their country."
Trump would still need congressional approval to move forward with his plans.
