House Member Warns That Using Military Bases as Deportation Hubs Sets Back Combat Readiness by as Much as Two Years

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas has raised concerns that the use of military bases as deportation hubs could significantly impact combat readiness, adding that such a strategy could set back military preparedness by up to two years.

Escobar based her estimate on 2021's Operation Allies Welcome during which Fort Bliss housed over 73,000 Afghan refugees, as reported by Border Report:

"What we learned after Operation Allies Welcome when we house Afghan refugees at Fort Bliss was that getting soldiers off of their mission and using military equipment for purposes for other than the mission set for the installation, that set us back by two years in terms of our readiness"

Her warning comes days after a bombshell report by The New York Times revealed that the Trump administration is planning to expand military site detention facilities nationwide, beginning with a deportation hub at Fort Bliss capable of holding up to 10,000 undocumented immigrants.

The report, citing anonymous officials, describes a broader effort to use military resources for mass deportations, potentially extending to bases across the country, including in Utah, New York, and California.

Historically, military bases have been used for temporary migrant detention, particularly for unaccompanied minors. However, the Trump administration's initiative would mark a substantial expansion, with military sites functioning as long-term detention centers for deportation processing.

The administration's decision to expand detention facilities stems from a shortage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beds, which currently hold around 40,000 detainees. This number is lower than that of Trump's first term which peaked at just over 50,000. By utilizing military installations, the administration seeks additional space for detainees as deportation efforts intensify.

The Department of Defense has already deployed 5,000 troops and National Guard members to assist Border Patrol, with plans to increase that number. In addition, military aircrafts have been used for deportation flights.

Escobar also criticized these flights, arguing that commercial flights could be a more cost-effective alternative. "What is the rationale for them doing this?" she asked. "Could it be he simply wants to militarize the immigration process because he believes it makes him appear tougher and stronger on immigration? I don't know because they haven't explained it."