Editorial: Militarized round-up of immigrants a terrifying idea
We were relieved to see the president’s press secretary reassure Americans that “there is no effort” to deploy 100,000 National Guard soldiers in 11 states to round up those living here illegally.
The draft memo suggesting such a dangerous policy appears to be from U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to top officials within three U.S. immigration enforcement agencies. The Associated Press obtained the memo and first reported it on Thursday.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied that the memo was a “White House document” and insisted it wasn’t being considered.
Asking National Guard soldiers to go into their own communities and raid homes or businesses looking for evidence of undocumented immigrants would be cruel. Crueler still would be the very act of having a military force terrorize communities, including, at times, the homes of those who are here legally or are U.S. citizens.