President-elect Donald Trump confirms that he intends to use the U.S. military to assist with his promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Early Monday morning, Trump responded to a post from conservative activist Tom Fitton that claimed the incoming president plans to declare a national emergency on immigration and deploy troops.
In a one-word response, Trump posted, "TRUE!!!"
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While campaigning, Trump told Time Magazine that he would use local law enforcement and possibly the National Guard to carry out his plan to mass deport millions of undocumented residents. He also shared plans with a crowd during a campaign stop in Aurora, Colorado.
"We will send elite squads of ICE, Border Patrol, and federal law enforcement officers to hunt down, arrest and deport every last illegal alien gang member until there is not a single one left in this country," Trump said. "And if they come back into our country, they will be told it is an automatic 10-year sentence in jail with no possibility of parole."
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In September, a Scripps News/IPSOS poll found more than half of respondents supported the mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
However, Trump would still likely face legal challenges.
Democratic governors, who likely would need to sign off on any use of state National Guard units, have promised to resist Trump's deportation agenda.
