Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa announced on Wednesday that she is working with the Iowa National Guard and the federal government in a support role for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The specifics of this support aren’t yet clear, but it appears likely that the Guard will assist in the bureaucratic heavy lifting involved with detaining and deporting illegal immigrants.
This news comes with the revelation that the Department of Defense has approved the use of National Guard troops to back up ICE operations across 20 states, Iowa being one of them. It seems that the Biden administration’s decisions in terms of immigration control have pushed states into a corner, necessitating such measures.
A local non-profit organization based in Iowa City, named ‘Escucha Mi Voz’, or ‘Hear My Voice’, made a statement reiterating the Governor’s plans. The group, which advocates for immigrant rights, had been informed via email that the Iowa National Guard is mobilizing to assist in the enactment of current presidential executive orders.
Governor Reynolds spoke candidly about a recent Department of Defense memo. It seems state governors have been in dialogue with Homeland Security to potentially provide state-level aid to the spiraling immigration crisis. The perceived failure of the Biden and Harris administration has led most states looking for their own solutions.
Reynolds didn’t hold back when discussing the challenges faced as a consequence of permissive immigration policies. She estimated that over 11 million undocumented immigrants have encroached into U.S. territory under this administration, a figure backed up by data reflecting encounters at U.S. borders starting in January 2021.
The numbers paint a grim picture, documenting both illegal attempts to cross the border and individuals declared inadmissible at legal points of entry. The situation is clearly out of control, hence States stepping in to lend a hand in addition to ICE. One might wonder whether Biden and Harris foresaw the chaos their executive orders would bring.
Previous to this step, Reynolds had stated her willingness to assist in managing the ongoing crisis. The Biden administration’s management has been so underwhelming, help is now required from different avenues, to regain control on the borders. Seems like military aid is a viable resort now under desperate circumstances.
Reports suggest that Guard members might engage in ‘alien processing’, or rather, administrative work necessary to facilitate the detention and deportation process. With this scenario unfolding, it makes us question the extent of mishandling the immigration crisis by the current administration, resulting in militarization of a civilian issue.
Governor Reynolds discussed logistics, and perhaps processing as potential focus areas for the Iowa National Guard. However, the final definition of the scope of this collaboration, including how many local troops will be part of this operation, is still under discussion. The burden now falls on states to clean up a mess not of their making.
Traditionally, the use of military for civil law enforcement has been limited by both the Constitution and other legal regulations. It was often only under desperation that military aid was summoned domestically. Yet, Biden’s ill-executed immigration policies have left states with no other viable options to protect their borders.
It’s also essential to clarify that the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 permits state governments to maintain peace within their territorial confines. In fact, several Republican governors, including Reynolds, have previously called National Guard to help control the border, given the federal failure to do so.
As the military integrates more into this, responsibilities will begin to blur. A released ICE memo suggests that National Guard might have to assist agents with administrative, case management, and transportation tasks. This is a clear government overreach signaling the current administration’s glaring failure to control immigration.
Evidently, opposition to Guard involvement in immigration control isn’t scarce. In a statement, a community organizer from ‘Escucha Mi Voz’ urged Reynolds to withhold National Guard’s intervention. It’s worrying to recognize that civil liberties and constitutional rights are at stake under the Biden administration.
It’s sad that the distress of immigrants, including the seven construction workers who got involved in a complaint case recently, is being monetized for political gains. It’s time for a serious introspection regarding immigration-related law enforcement and the resulting public sentiment amidst the myriad of executive orders from the Oval Office.
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