Confirms plan to declare national emergency and use military for mass deportations

President-elect Trump confirmed he would declare a national emergency to carry out mass deportations, responding 'TRUE!!!' to a social media post about using military assets for the operation. ABC News reported Trump was 'emphasizing his plan to declare a national emergency' while The Guardian noted he would 'utilize US military to conduct mass deportations.' NPR documented his promise to 'use local police to deport migrants' and Reuters reported he would 'use the U.S. military to the fullest extent of the law' for deportations. The confirmation signaled Trump's intent to use emergency powers and military resources for what would be the largest deportation operation in American history, breaking with the Posse Comitatus tradition limiting military involvement in civilian law enforcement. The plan included using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, deploying military resources for detention and transportation, and pressuring local law enforcement to assist federal immigration operations.

"TRUE!!!" — Trump's Truth Social response confirming plan to use military for mass deportations, November 18, 2024